Tobacco Board chief asks traders to make purchases as promised

Tobacco Board Chairman S Kamal Vardhan Rao has appealed to the Tobacco traders to meet their promise to buy 180 million kg of Tobacco for at least Rs 120 per kg from growers.
Speaking at a meeting here, he said that they should not cite decline in export orders to go back on their commitment.
"Based on the written undertaking of India Tobacco Association, the farmers planned their production. Do not betray them", he observed.
Responding to the chairman''s exhortation, the leaders of the Indian Tobacco Association assured to honour their commitment on the quantity of tobacco but declined to give assurance on the price. Besides, they also pleaded for re-opening the auction platform.
But the chairman wondered how the farmers could bring produce to the auction platforms in the absence of a firm commitment about price.