On Thursday, the Tobacco Institute of India (TII) honored ten exceptional tobacco growers with the best farmer and recognition award for exceptional performance, increased productivity, and adoption of the best agricultural methods.
The Honored Tobacco Farmers
The best farmer awards were given to Channabasappa of Motha village, Kuchelegowda of Seeranahalli, HM Parameshwara of Hadlapura, Raju of Kothavally Koppal, Suresh KT of Kottegal, and SV Yoganna of Seebally.
Devanaika of Gowdagere village, Minnesota, MP Koppal's Ramchandra, Halaganahally's Aslam Pasha, and Lokikuppe's Ramakrishna received the recognition awards.
Sharad Tandon, director of the TII, praised farmers' efforts to contribute to the country's socio-economic development by growing tobacco, which not only boosts agricultural incomes but also creates jobs, foreign exchange earnings, and revenue.
He stated that India has become the world's second-largest tobacco manufacturer and exporter, with yearly foreign exchange profits of roughly Rs 6,500 crore from leaf tobacco and tobacco derivatives exports.
He also encouraged the Union government to expand tobacco export subsidies in order to increase Indian tobacco's competitiveness in the global market and promote exports.
Excessive regulation and heavy taxation have the opposite effect. They do not diminish tobacco demand; instead, they shift it from legal, tax-paying, regulation-compliant goods to cheaper, tax-evaded, non-compliant illegal products.
There were MP Pratap Simha, state legislators AH Vishwanath, HP Manjunath, SR Mahesh, AT Ramaswamy, K Mahadeva, Anil Kumar Chikkamadu, Tobacco Board chairman Y Raghunadha Babu, director (auctions) M Ashwini Naidu, and director CTRI D Damodar Reddy in attendance.
About the Tobacco Institute of India
The Tobacco Institute of India (TII) is a trade association that represents farmers, manufacturers, exporters, and ancillaries in India's tobacco sector.
The Institute is regarded as a reputable source of industry information, and it is privileged to be consulted for information and policy suggestions on tobacco matters by the government, parliamentary committees, chambers of commerce/trade associations, and the media.
