Why in the news?

• The Tobacco Board has authorised a crop size of 100 million kg for Karnataka during the year 2024-25.

 About Tobacco Board 

• The Tobacco Board was constituted as a Statutory Body on 1st January, 1976 under Section (4) of the Tobacco Board Act, 1975.
• It operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• It is headquartered in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

The primary objective of the Tobacco Board is-

• To promote the orderly development of the tobacco industry in India, particularly in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, which are the major tobacco-growing regions in the country.

Key Functions and Responsibilities  

1. Regulation and Control: The Tobacco Board regulates the production, curing, grading, and marketing of Virginia tobacco, which includes Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) and Burley tobacco varieties.
2. Licensing and Registration: It monitors and issues licenses and registrations to tobacco growers, manufacturers, exporters, and dealers involved in various stages of the tobacco supply chain.
3. Research and Development: It collaborates with agricultural research institutes, universities, and industry stakeholders to introduce new technologies, best practices, and crop varieties to enhance the productivity and profitability of tobacco farming.
4. Market Promotion: It promotes Indian tobacco products in domestic and international markets through trade fairs, exhibitions, buyer-seller meets, and promotional campaigns.
5. Price Stabilization: It intervenes in the market to stabilize prices, mitigate price fluctuations, and protect the interests of farmers against adverse market conditions.
6. Quality Control and Grading: It operates grading centers and quality testing laboratories to assess the quality characteristics of tobacco and facilitate fair trade practices in the industry.

PYQ:

Q.With reference to the “Tea Board” in India, consider the following statements:

1. The Tea Board is a statutory body.
2. It is a regulatory body attached to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
3. The Tea Board’s Head Office is situated in Bengaluru.
4. The Board has overseas offices at Dubai and Moscow.

Which of the statements given above are correct? (2022)

1. 1 and 3
2. 2 and 4
3. 3 and 4
4. 1 and 4

Practice MCQ:

Consider the following statements regarding the cultivation of Tobacco in India:

1. Tobacco is a drought tolerant, hardy and short duration crop.
2. India is the 2nd largest producer and exporter after China and Brazil respectively
3. In the global scenario, Indian tobacco accounts for 10% of the area and 9% of the total production.

How many of the given statements is/are correct?

1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. None

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