Indianfarmers

CONSORTIUM OF INDIAN FARMERS ASSOCIATIONS

Basawaraj Tambake
President

P- Chengal Reddy
Secretary General

To,

Shri K.Rosaiah garu,

Hon'ble Finance Minister,

Government of Andhra Pradesh,

Hyderabad

11th July, 2009

Dear Sir,

We the Tobacco farmers of Andhra Pradesh are happy that the farmer friendly congress party under the leadership of Shri. Rajashekar Reddy has come back to power for a second term in our state. We are also extremely happy that you are once again our Hon'ble Finance Minister. We are grateful to you for helping the farming community in every possible way earlier and hope and pray you will continue to support us in future also.

As you are aware that tobacco is an important cash crop for the farmers, being grown in 4.5 lakh hectares in our country. Andhra Pradesh is the biggest tobacco growing state and has an hectarage of 2 lakh hectares, (flue and Air cured tobaccos) Tobacco is grown in Coastal, Telengana and Raylalseema regions and contributes in the following manner.

1.	Rs. 2,600/- cores is generated by marketing of 265 Million Kgs of tobacco produced only on 1.7% of cultivable land in A.P. No other crop can generate this kind of gross income to the farmers.
2.	During the year 2009-2010 we are expecting export of tobacco to the tune of over Rs. 3,000/- cores.
3.	More than 5 lakh farm workers and over 2 lakh farmers are earning their livelihood and are financially better off than other farmers and there are no suicides amongst the Tobacco farmers.
4.	We the tobacco farmers always seek the help of the Domestic cigarette Industry while growing and marketing the crop. In the times of crises and distress the domestic industry always comes to our help.
5.	When the global supply and demand situation is uncertain and volatile, domestic industry always acts as a shock absorber and protects us from price fluctuations.
6.	AP state being in the forefront of tobacco cultivation and the 2 lakh farmers and 5 lakh farm workers whose fortunes are linked with tobacco cultivation, we the farmers are approaching you sir, for your kind help as detailed below.

	Sir, in the ensuring AP Budget please do not levy any additional taxes on cigarettes as already the industry is reeling under the burden of heavy taxation resulting in shrinkage in the sales of cigarettes. Any additional tax burden on domestic cigarette industry will adversely affect the tobacco farming community resulting in left over of unsold stocks of tobacco with the farmers.
	In view of the above we again humbly pray and request you to protect the interest of nearly one million families connected with Tobacco by not imposing any additional taxes in the ensuing Budget.
	Yours Sincerely,

	P. Chengal Reddy, Secretary General.

Hyderabad Address :

New Delhi Address :

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Hyderabad-500 028. A.P. INDIA.

Tel : 91-40-23319643, Fax : 91-40-23378046

E-mail : indian_farmers_federation@yahoo.com

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New Delhi - 110 008.

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