Commerce Ministry Officials Meet Andhra CM to Address Tobacco Farmers' Woes

Senior officials from the Union Ministry of Commerce met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday morning to discuss challenges faced by tobacco farmers. Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary, and Monika Gaur, Director, held talks at the Chief Minister's residence.

The discussions centred on three key proposals: providing interest-free working capital loans to farmers, offering various incentives, and compensating for price deficits. These measures aim to alleviate the financial burden on tobacco growers.

Chief Minister Naidu emphasised the need for a comprehensive solution that covers short, medium, and long-term strategies. He insisted that tobacco farmers should not incur losses and urged the officials to explore a permanent remedy.

Mr. Naidu inquired about the extent of central government support and the steps being taken. He suggested that plans must account for international market dynamics and directed officials to consider storing the crop for a year or two to sell when prices stabilise.

The Chief Minister also instructed the officials to prepare an action plan for selling different grades of tobacco by consulting traders and other stakeholders. He called for an effective regulatory mechanism to shield farmers from market fluctuations.

The meeting was attended by Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, state Ministers Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, as well as MLAs from combined Prakasam district, Narasaraopet, Rajanagaram, and Polavaram constituencies. Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu and MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy participated virtually.