(a) whether the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has any plan to upgrade the present tobacco seedlings in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith funds allocated for this purpose;
(c) whether ICAR has supervised the work to be done in this regard;
(d) if so, the number of tobacco growing farmers likely to be benefited from this Scheme; and
(e) the extent to which ICAR is trying to get high grade exportable varieties of tobacco?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (DR. DEBENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) No, Sir.
(b), (c) & (d) Does not arise.
(e) Exportable FCV tobacco varieties are in cultivation in different
agro-ecological zones of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Important examples
are Hema, VT-1158, Gauthami, CM-12, K-326 (NLS-4), Mc Nair-12, Bhavya
Ratna, K-326 and Thrupthi. Likewise, exportable White Burley Tobacco
varieties in cultivation in Andhra Pradesh are Banket A1 and Burley 21.
Such varieties are released along with improved package of practices for
the purpose of export to quality conscious countries.