ONGOLE: The tobacco farmers of the district have expressed satisfaction over the price offered in the ongoing tobacco auctions at the Indian Tobacco Board auction platforms. The average price of tobacco is `165-`170 per kg. In all nine auction centres, traders offer good prices for tobacco from Southern Black Soil (SBS) and Southern Light Soil (SLS) regions, depending on the quality.
Up to date, around 51 million kgs of tobacco stocks were purchased by the Tobacco companies and exporters and another 20 million kgs from tobacco growers. The Tobacco board officials expect that the auctions will come to an end on June 20. The tobacco yield decreased this year following the untimely heavy rains, which in turn increased the demand for tobacco. This led to good prices for the bright and medium grade stocks. Traders and exporters are buying more stock due to the huge demand in the international market.
The Indian Tobacco Board had given permission for 41.21 million KG tobacco production from the SBS region and 37.81 million Kgs from the SLS region (Total 79.02 Million kgs). The SBS region achieved around 38 million Kgs production and the SLS region nearly 29.70 million kg.
Till Saturday, 24.78 million kg of tobacco stocks from SBS region were purchased at Vellampalli-2, Ongole-1, 2, Tangutur-1 and Kondapi (5) auction centres and 26.31 million kg from SLS region were traded at Kanigiri, Kandukur-1, 2, Podili, Kaligiri (SPSR Nellore district) and the DC Palli (SPSR Nellore) centres. “If everything goes smoothly, the auctions will end by June 20. Now, traders offer `170-`175 per kg for quality stocks,” D Venu Gopal, regional manager, Tobacco Board, Ongole, explained.