Indian growers want representation at next Conference of the Parties

Tobacco growers from the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are asking the Indian government to ensure that they are represented in the group currently being formed to attend the next working session of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, according to a story in the latest issue of the BBM Bommidala Group newsletter.

In a letter to Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and the ministers of agriculture, commerce, health and family welfare, and external affairs, the growers said their presence at the meeting of the sixth Conference of the Parties (CoP6) was vital, especially in respect of discussions on reducing tobacco crop sizes.

CoP6 is due to be held in Moscow, Russia, in 2014.

The growers say that they need to be heard because they are the key stakeholders.

They are concerned that five large tobacco-producing countries, including Argentina, the US and Zimbabwe, are not parties to the convention and so stand to gain if tobacco production is curtailed in countries such as India.