Alternatives to Flue Cured V irginia Tobacco Cultivation: Preliminary Observations from a Tobacco Growing Region In India

Abstract

Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco also known as cigarette tobacco is a commercial crop grown in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and Maharashtra states in India. Tobacco is considered a de-merit good because of its adverse effects on the health of the consumers and there is growing concern to replace tobacco with suitable alternative crops and livelihoods in tobacco growing regions. The main purpose of undertaking this study is to make a situation analysis of the tobacco growing region with respect to cropping pattern, background of farmers growing different crops, their perceptions on tobacco cultivation, institutional benefits available for growing tobacco and, to identify economically viable alternate crops for FCV tobacco if any and examine the factors governing their adoption. The review of literature and this study suggest that farmers are interested or willing to shift from tobacco. But, this willingness is conditional or is responsive to fulfillment of demands. Although there are alternatives that are being tried out, they are backed by huge investment in infrastructure. Studies in Tanzania, Bangladesh and India reveal that institutional support is the main factor inducing continuation of tobacco cultivation. Based on the net returns per unit of cultivation, this study indicates the possibilities of promoting ginger, chilly, sugarcane and plantation crops as alternatives to tobacco. In the case of alternative livelihoods, we could not find any instances of other remunerative livelihoods taken up by tobacco growers and non tobacco growers on large scale from the sample covered in this study. The earnings from livestock rearing, which is one of the subsidiary occupations reported by farmers is at subsistence level and cannot be compared with earnings from tobacco cultivation. As observed from the field and noted from secondary sources, FCV tobacco crop in India is like a pampered child. Its cultivation is profitable because of the domestic and international demand and institutional support extended towards its cultivation. In this background the cultivation of other crops cannot be left to the providence of natural factors. Shifting from tobacco may be possible only if similar treatment on par with tobacco is given to selected alternative crops expected to get comparable returns.