ONGOLE: Tobacco auctions at Ongole-II, Tangutur-I and Kanigiri centres in Prakasam and at Kalikiri in Nellore kicked off on Monday. S
secretary of the tobacco board Madhusudana Rao took part in the inauguration, along with board member M Subba Reddy and tobacco growers’ association representatives, at the auction centre in Ongole.
On Day 1, growers from Surveyreddy Palem, Vengamukka Palem and Pothavaram villages brought with them 27 tobacco bales to the Ongole centre for the auction, all of which were sold for an average maximum price of Rs 185 per kg.
The Tangutur-I centre also received 27 bales and 26 of them were bought by exporters for similar prices. At Kanigiri, 36 out of 37 bales were sold.
Madhusudan Rao and Ongole-II auction superintendent K Ramakrishna said tobacco exporters and agents were expected to offer prices during the second phase of auctions in view of the increased expenditure on Tobacco cultivation.
There has been an increase in the cultivation of the produce as well, they added. “We will see to that the maximum number of tobacco merchants/exporters/agents attend the auctions,” they assured the farmers.