Senior commerce ministry officials discuss tobacco farmers’ issues with Andhra CM

Commerce Ministry Additional Secretary Nitin Kumar Yadav with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at his office on Saturday.

Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary in the Union Commerce Ministry, and Director Monika Gaur discussed the problems faced by tobacco farmers with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at his residence on Saturday morning (July 25).

They discussed three proposals, including providing interest-free working capital loans to farmers, providing various incentives and compensating the price deficit.

Mr. Naidu called for a thorough discussion on the proposals. He insisted that tobacco farmers must not suffer any losses while stressing the need to find a lasting solution involving short, medium and long term strategies.

He asked to what extent the central government was willing to support the farmers and inquired what steps were being taken.

The plans should take due account of international market dynamics, he suggested, directing officials to explore the possibility of storing the crop for a year or two to sell when prices stabilize.

He told officials to prepare an action plan for the sale of various types of tobacco through consultation with traders and other stakeholders and to work out an effective regulatory mechanism to insulate farmers from the vagaries of the market.

Union minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, ministers Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy and MLAs from the combined constituencies of Prakasam, Narasaraopet, Rajanagaram and Polavaram attended the meeting.

Agriculture and Marketing Minister K. Atchannaidu and MPs Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy participated in the discussion virtually.

Published – 25 Jul 2026 16:26 IST