Tobacco

Introduction

India is the third largest producer and eighth largest exporter of tobacco and tobacco product in the world. While India's share in the world's area under tobacco crop has risen from 9% to 11% in the last 3 decades, its share in production has inched up from 8% to 9% in tobacco industry. Asia and America, together account for 75% of world's production of tobacco. China, USA and India are the three leading tobacco-producing nations in the world

Production area

Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka account for the major portion (80%) of raw tobacco production in India. These states produce FCV tobacco, bidi tobacco, natu tobacco, cigar tobacco, cheroot tobacco and snuff tobacco. Other states which manufacture tobacco are Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, UP and Bihar.

Growth promotional activities

FCV (Flue cured Virginia) tobacco production and is regulated by The Tobacco Board. About 0.75mn growers are engaged in tobacco production. Easy availability of tobacco has helped development of cottage industry for manufacture of chewing tobacco, cigar, cheroot, flux etc. Bidi industry provides employment to 4.4mn rural people, mostly women and the cigarette industry provides employment to 0.55mn people.

Types

Tobacco is consumed in two ways, either by smoking or chewing. While smoking the following tobacco products are consumed: Cigarette, Cigar, Bidi (Hand rolled, leaf wrapped country cigarettes) and to chew the products are: Raw tobacco, Supari (Arecanut), Gutkha, Pan Parag etc.. Due to diverse climatic conditions every type of tobacco is grown in India. Almost 90% of area is accounted for by Nicotine tobacem. and 10% by Nicotina Restica. Only one third of the tobacco output in the country is Flue cured Virginia (FCV) variety, suitable for cigarette manufacturing.

There are seven major categories of tobacco, Viz. Flue cured Virginia tobacco (FCV), Burley, Oriental, Bark flue cured, Sun cured, Light flue cured cigar and Dark flue cured.

Flue cured Virginia tobacco is mainly used for manufacture of cigarettes. Light air cured tobacco is used in the manufacture of bidis. Unmanufactured tobacco is also consumed in India, for chewing purpose.