The sunset crop of tobacco will be on its fag end if the growers do not resort to cost-cutting measures in the cultivation of the labour-intensive crop, especially in Prakasam and Nellore districts. There is also a growing pressure from health activists to phase out tobacco cultivation under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). It was found during studies that farmers could save up to 25% on fuel during curing by going in for glass wool roof insulation and Venturi furnace insulation in the barns. FirewoodThe usage of wood should come down, said the Chairman, who impressed upon the growers to plant saplings to meet at least a part of the firewood needed for the barns, the primary processing unit of tobacco. He, however, felt that switching over to solar barns completely as in some developed countries for more precision to tobacco curing process might not be practical given the local conditions.

Source: The Hindu December 31, 2019 13:23 UTC