FIERY ANGER: As a protest against the falling prices of tobacco, growers set their produce on fire on Monday near Ongole 2 platform on Kurnool road.

ONGOLE: On the eve of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy`s visit to Prakasam district, tobacco growers had stepped up their agitation to protest against plummeting prices.

Farmers staged rasta roko near auction platform on the Kurnool road here on Monday and burnt down one bale of tobacco as a symbolic expression of their resentment over the falling prices.

Andhra Pradesh Rytu Sangham which organized the agitation decided to lead a delegation and apprise the Chief Minister of the problem during his visit to Pandillapalli near Chirala on Tuesday.

Rytu Sangham leader N. Ranga Rao pointed out that tobacco had fetched an average price of Rs. 45.50 a kg in April and the farmers demanded a higher offer.

The Government had convened a meeting of farmers and traders at Hyderabad on March 27 in which both Agriculture Minister and Marketing Minister assured that they would not allow the price to drop and instead make all efforts to boost it. Traders too agreed to push up the price by at least half a rupee for a kilogram in the market and thereby stabilize it.

Financial hassle

But the price dipped to Rs. 42 a kg in May much to the anxiety and chagrin of the farmers.

They are also upset over the heavy penalty imposed on tobacco grown in excess of the quantity permitted by Tobacco Board. The farmers are forced to pay Rs. 200 per quintal of excess tobacco besides 15 per cent of the sale price which totals to Rs. 800 a quintal. Stating that it was a financial burden on the farmers, the Rytu Sangham urged the Tobacco Board to do away with it.

They would also represent to the Chief Minister to ascertain that the auctions get over by May end to prevent deterioration of quality during rains.

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