Tobacco farmers oppose efforts to replace existing auction with contract system

Tobacco farmers in the State have voiced their opposition to reported efforts to replace the existing system of auction of tobacco produce with contract system for the crop cultivation.Speaking on the

Tobacco farmers in the State have voiced their opposition to reported efforts to replace the existing system of auction of tobacco produce with contract system for the crop cultivation.

Speaking on the occasion of World Tobacco Growers’ Day at a programme organised by Federation of Virginia Flue Cured (VFC) Tobacco Growers Association of Karnataka at Periyapatna near here on Thursday, Vice-President of the Federation Paramesh said the traders were cheating the farmers in payment and weighment before the present system of auction was introduced by the Tobacco Board in 1984.

After a lot of struggle and hardship during the pre-auction era, the system of auction was introduced, guaranteeing the farmers not only fair weighment, but also transparent pricing and payment to their bank accounts within 10 days of selling their produce.