India’s former prime minister, H D Deve Gowda, yesterday appealed to tobacco growers in Karnataka not to yield to pressure from merchants and resort to distress sales of their leaf, according to a Deccan Herald story.
Addressing reporters in the state capital, Bengaluru, Gowda said that following the Tobacco Board’s decision to postpone e-auctioning, growers were being forced to sell their produce to merchants from places such asGuntur, Andhra Pradesh, at a much lower prices than they would otherwise receive.
He said he had appealed to the Union Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma, to start the auctioning process in Karnataka.
“The minister has agreed to start auctioning by September 26,” said Gowda.
“I appeal to the farmers not to panic and resort to distress sale.”