A decision on the reopening of the tobacco auction platforms is expected to be taken at a meeting convened by Minister in charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar in Mysuru on Wednesday.
Mr. Somashekar, who held a meeting with Tobacco Board officials in Hunsur on Tuesday, will consult with officials and representatives of tobacco farmers and traders to reopen the auction platforms, which had been shut abruptly ever since the lockdown as a precautionary measure against spread of COVID-19.
As much as 102 million kg of tobacco had been auctioned at the 10 auction platforms across Mysuru and Hassan since September last year. Barely 2.5 to 3 million kg of tobacco in three to four auction platforms in Piriyapatna and Chilkunda was remaining when the lockdown was declared.
The farmers, however, are worried over the deterioration in the quality of the tobacco in stock if it is not auctioned and put to use. “The remaining quantity of tobacco can be auctioned in just 8 to 10 days’ time,” said Javare Gowda, president of Federation of Flue Cured Variety Tobacco Growers’ Associations of Karnataka.
The Tobacco Board officials, who were looking forward to reopening the auction platforms soon after lockdown, will now have to wait with the extension of the lockdown to May 3 now. “There is no restriction from the Tobacco Board for reopening of the auction platforms, but we need permission from the district administration and have to ensure that social distancing is maintained in the platforms,” the official said.
The board will also have to discuss with the traders their convenient dates for participation in the auction process. “Most of the traders are from Andhra Pradesh. They need to be informed in advance about the reopening of the platforms,” said an official.
Mr. Gowda was confident that the board could make arrangements to facilitate the transport of the traders to the auction platforms. He said abrupt closure of the platforms had put the farmers in distress. “The farmers are worried that the quality of tobacco will deteriorate. The bright grade variety will turn low-grade tobacco and affect farmers’ remuneration,” he said.
Already, the government has permitted the transport of tobacco bales that had been purchased by the traders before the lockdown to be shifted from auction platforms to their respective destinations. Even though it is not a food crop, tobacco falls under the agriculture category and there are no restrictions on its transport, an official said.
