Tobacco

India is the 2nd largest tobacco producer with an annual production of around 800 million kgs and a leading tobacco exporter in the world. Nearly 26 million farmers and farm workers earn their livelihood from tobacco in India. In all 45.7 million people are dependent on tobacco for their livelihood. Tobacco products contribute more than Rs.53,000 crores in Government’s Tax revenues.
Columbus discovered America and tobacco in 1492 in his effort to find a direct sea-route to India, which was at that time the sole supplier of some essential commodities required by European countries. One of the traveling teams that visited South America and India introduced tobacco into India in the year 1508. Today, tobacco is one of the major commercial crops grown in India.
Tobacco crop is grown on marginal soils, where no other crop can be grown by farmers. Tobacco crop can withstand dry climatic conditions. Tobacco by-products are used for improving the soil fertility when added back to soil. Just 4.64 Lakh hectares of the country’s arable land is under tobacco cultivation.
Various types of tobaccos are cultivated in India for use in tobacco products such as Cigarette, Bidi, Cigar, Cheroot, Hookah, Chewing and Snuff etc. Following are the tobacco varieties grown in different parts of the country:
Types of Tobacco | States |
---|---|
FCV Tobacco | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Karnataka |
Bidi Tobacco | Gujarat, Nipani area of Karnataka, Maharashtra & Andhra Pradesh |
Cigar & Cheroot | Tamil Nadu & West Bengal |
Hookah Tobacco | Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh & Gujarat |
Chewing & Snuff | Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh |
Natu, Burley, Lanka & HDBRG etc. |
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Karnataka |
Even though the cultivation of tobacco is spread all over the country, the commercial cultivation of tobacco is concentrated in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Tobacco Area Cultivation, Production and Yield
Year | Area in (‘000 Hectares) |
Production (‘000 Tonnes) |
Yield (Kg. Per Hectare) |
---|---|---|---|
2014-15 | 468 | 855 | 1830 |
2015-16 | 451 | 803 | 1781 |
2016-17 | 400 | 806 | 2016 |
2017-18 | 411 | 951 | 2317 |
2018-19 | 409 | 658 | 1610 |
2019-20 | 404 | 801 | 1982 |
Source: Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 370, February 4, 2022
Tobacco Exports
India is also among the top tobacco exporters with an annual foreign exchange earnings of more than Rs. 8,400 crores in 2022-23 [April 22 – Jan 2023]. Tobacco exports provide a huge opportunity to the Government to increase its foreign exchange earnings.
Tobacco Exports from India
Year |
Tobacco Leaf |
Tobacco Products |
Total |
|||
Qty. |
Value (Rs. Crore) |
Qty. (Million Kgs). |
Value (Rs. Crore) |
Qty. (Million Kgs). |
Value |
|
2015-16 |
209 |
4,331 | 34 | 1,727 | 243 | 6,058 |
2016-17 |
199 |
4,241 |
32 | 1,734 | 232 | 5,975 |
2017-18 | 182 | 3,871 | 31 | 1,669 |
213 |
5,540 |
2018-19 | 183 | 3,937 | 37 | 2,064 |
221 |
6,001 |
2019-20 | 181 | 3,816 | 37 | 2,153 |
217 |
5,970 |
2020-21 | 174 | 3,855 | 37 | 2,451 |
212 |
6,306 |
Source: Tobacco Board, Government of India