Goyal discusses on tobacco price fall in AP

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Sunday held a luncheon meeting with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and visited the Tobacco Board officials and farmers to discuss the problems arising out of the price crash following oversupply.

During the visit discussions centred around purchase of Burley tobacco at a specified price and regular market intervention for price stabilisation. The farmers narrated their woes following fall in prices for a prolonged spell.

During the discussion, Naidu sought release of Rs.150 crore for procurement of tobacco through the Tobacco Board and stated that the Andhra Pradesh Government was buying with Rs.300 crore by setting up seven procurement centres in Bapatla, Guntur, Palnadu and Prakasam districts.

Naidu also requested Goyal to reconsider import duty levied on palm oil and have a discussion on tariffs imposed on acqua products. He stated that the 27% tariff levied by the Trump Administration in the United States will adversely hit eight lakh acqua farmers from Andhra Pradesh. He also wanted a reduction on the GST imposed on mango pulp from 12 to 5% while informing Goyal that he had already taken up the issue with Finance Minister NIrmala Sitharaman.