Context: The Central government is considering a proposal to provide interest-free loans to tobacco farmers of Andhra Pradesh impacted by Cyclone Michaung.

Interest-free Loans for Andhra Tobacco Farmers

• Terms of loan: The  interest-free loans, varying between ₹10,000 and ₹20,000, will be for a period of six months and will support replanting of tobacco.
• It will be provided to around  15,000 tobacco farmers in Andhra Pradesh who are impacted by cyclone Michaung (made a landfall in  Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu on 5th december)
• The proposal is being  forwarded by the Tobacco Board.

About Tobacco 

• Production: India is the world’s second-largest tobacco producer after China with around 800 million kg of tobacco produced annually. 
  • Gujarat is the highest producer with 45% of total production, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
  •  India’s Major exporting Destinations:  Belgium, the UAE, Indonesia, Russia, Korea, the US, Yemen, Egypt, Singapore, Netherlands, Philippines, Turkey and Nepal.
• Cultivation: India has around 0.45 million hectares of area under tobacco cultivation accounting for (only 0.31% of net cultivated area in the country) and  10% of the total area globally. 
• Conditions for growth:
  • Temperature: It requires a temperature range between 20 and 30°C with a frost-free period of 90 to 120 days.
  • Rainfall:  A dry period is required for the ripening of the leaves. Excess rainfall results in thin, lightweight leaves.
  • The planting season starts at around November-end to mid-January. The harvesting period is from March to June.
  • Soil: The crop is sensitive to waterlogging and demands well-aerated and drained soils. The optimum pH ranges from 5 to 6.5.  Flue-cured, light tobacco requires light sandy soil while Air-cured, dark tobacco is grown in silty loam to clay loam.
  • Transplantation: Tobacco is sown on seed beds and is transplanted 40 to 60 days after sowing when the plants are about 15 cm tall.

News source: Livemint