Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry has approved the sale of the excess Flue Cured Virginia tobacco produced by registered growers on the auction platforms in Andhra Pradesh for 2023-24 crop season with normal applicable service charges at auction platforms of Tobacco Board by waiving the additional service charges considering the crop damage in an area of 15028.09 ha across all soil regions in Andhra Pradesh. The decision has been taken due to “Michaung” cyclonic rains during the period 3^rd to 5^th December,2023 that resulted in an additional expenditure incurred by farmers towards replantation/gap filling in the main field.

In Andhra Pradesh, during this crop season,43125 farmers cultivated FCV tobacco in an area of 97127.07 ha and produced 205.5 Million Kg of crop.

The decision of will greatly benefit the farmers of Andhra Pradesh to recover the loss due to cyclonic rains in view of Zero Penalty on sale of the excess Flue Cured Virginia tobacco produced by registered growers on the auction platforms in Andhra Pradesh for 2023-24 crop season. This consideration will handhold the FCV tobacco farmers to overcome their financial plight inflicted due to natural calamity and would greatly help the growers to continue their livelihood.

Zero Penalty on sale of excess FCV tobacco; waiver of extra auction service charges to aid growers after crop damage. Approval allows registered growers to sell excess Flue Cured Virginia tobacco on Tobacco Board auction platforms for the 2023-24 season by waiving additional service charges while maintaining normal service charges; relief addresses losses and extra replantation costs from cyclonic rains and applies as a zero-penalty measure for excess sales by registered growers in the affected State.