Amaravati, May 2 (KNN) The Federation of All India Farmer Association (FAIFA), Guntur unit has urged the union government to waive off the penalties on excess production of FCV tobacco in Andhra Pradesh.

The farmers’ association submitted a representation to Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal, stating that the penalty was introduced more than a decade ago in case of overall crop production exceeding the authorised limit, resulting in lower prices during auction.

However, the situation has been reversed as the actual crop production is less than the limit fixed by the Tobacco Board even after the significant reduction in the authorized crop from the peak of 323 million kgs to 203 million kgs in the past decade, it said.

In their representation, the FAIFA members pointed out that the FCV crops in more than 50 per cent of the total acreage of 53,000 hectares in Andhra Pradesh were severely damaged due to the heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Mandous in December 2022, resulting in huge losses. Hence, there is an urgent need to review the policy.

As per reports, the representation was received by Rajesh Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, in a letter to the Union Minister on April 25 said that more than 50 per cent of the FCV crop was damaged due to Cyclone Mandous.

“With no alternative crop, the farmers went for replanting of FCV crop, resulting in additional production cost. The farmers are not in a position to pay the penalties to the Tobacco Board for excess production,” the Chief Minister pointed out.     (KNN Bureau)