Introduction
India is the third largest producer and eighth largest exporter of
tobacco and
tobacco product in the world. While India's share in
the world's area under tobacco crop has risen from 9% to 11% in the last
3 decades, its share in production has inched up from 8% to 9% in
tobacco
industry. Asia and America, together account for 75% of world's
production of tobacco. China, USA and India are the three leading
tobacco-producing nations in the world
Production area
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka account for the major portion
(80%) of raw tobacco production in India. These states produce FCV
tobacco, bidi tobacco, natu tobacco, cigar tobacco, cheroot tobacco and
snuff tobacco. Other states which manufacture tobacco are Maharashtra,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, UP and Bihar.
Growth promotional activities
FCV (Flue cured Virginia) tobacco production and is regulated by The
Tobacco Board. About 0.75mn growers are engaged in tobacco production.
Easy availability of tobacco has helped development of cottage industry
for manufacture of chewing tobacco, cigar, cheroot, flux etc. Bidi
industry provides employment to 4.4mn rural people, mostly women and the
cigarette industry provides employment to 0.55mn people.
Types
Tobacco is consumed in two ways, either by smoking or chewing. While
smoking the following
tobacco products are consumed: Cigarette,
Cigar, Bidi (Hand rolled, leaf wrapped country cigarettes) and to chew
the products are: Raw tobacco, Supari (Arecanut), Gutkha, Pan Parag
etc.. Due to diverse climatic conditions every type of tobacco is grown
in India. Almost 90% of area is accounted for by Nicotine tobacem. and
10% by Nicotina Restica. Only one third of the tobacco output in the
country is Flue cured Virginia (FCV) variety, suitable for cigarette
manufacturing.
There are seven major categories of tobacco, Viz. Flue cured Virginia
tobacco (FCV), Burley, Oriental, Bark flue cured, Sun cured, Light flue
cured cigar and Dark flue cured.
Flue cured Virginia tobacco is mainly used for manufacture of
cigarettes. Light air cured tobacco is used in the manufacture of bidis.
Unmanufactured tobacco is also consumed in India, for chewing purpose.
