The government on Saturday said it has allowed sale of excess tobacco produced by registered growers on auction platforms for the crop season 2022-23.

It has also permitted sale of unauthorized tobacco produced by unregistered growers without any penalty on the platforms in Karnataka for the crop season 2022-23. (ALSO READ: Budget 2023: Smoking to get costlier as Centre hikes custom duty on cigarettes)

“Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has considered to allow the sale of the excess flue cured Virginia tobacco produced by registered growers and unauthorized flue cured Virginia tobacco produced by unregistered growers without any penalty considering the low production during the 2022-2023 Karnataka Crop season,” it said.

In Karnataka, during this crop season, 40,207 farmers cultivated FCV tobacco in an area of 60,782 hectares. The total production of FCV tobacco in Karnataka remained at 59.78 million kgs against the crop size of 100.00 million kgs fixed by Tobacco Board , due to continuous rains during months of June and July 2022.

The decision of imposing no penalty on the sale of excess FCV tobacco will greatly benefit the farmers of Karnataka to recover the loss due to less production during this crop season.

This consideration will hand hold the FCV tobacco farmers to overcome their financial plight inflicted due to low production and low earning and would greatly help the growers to continue their livelihood.

In Karnataka, during this crop season, 40,207 farmers cultivated FCV tobacco in an area of 60,782 hectares. (ALSO READ: WORLD CANCER DAY: ‘Tobacco use leading to rise in cases; 1 in 9 Indians at risk’)

The total production of FCV tobacco in Karnataka remained at 59.78 million kg against the crop size of 100.00 million kgs fixed by Tobacco Board , due to continuous rains during months of June and July 2022.

The decision of imposing no penalty on the sale of excess FCV tobacco will greatly benefit the farmers of Karnataka to recover the loss due to less production during this crop season, it said.

“This consideration will hand hold the FCV tobacco farmers to overcome their financial plight inflicted due to low production and low earning and would greatly help the growers to continue their livelihood,” it added.