CHANGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCENARIO OF FCV TOBACCO CHANGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCENARIO OF FCV TOBACCO CHANGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCENARIO OF FCV TOBACCO CHANGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCENARIO OF FCV TOBACCO CHANGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCENARIO OF FCV TOBACCO F F F F FARMERS IN NLS AREA OF ANDHRA PRADESH ARMERS IN NLS AREA OF ANDHRA PRADESH ARMERS IN NLS AREA OF ANDHRA PRADESH ARMERS IN NLS AREA OF ANDHRA PRADESH ARMERS IN NLS AREA OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Abstract

Tobacco is one of the important cash crops cultivated by a substantial portion of the farmers (9,945 FCV & 5000 non-FCV) in Northern Light Soil (NLS) region of Andhra Pradesh. The objective of the present study is to examine the changing trend in the socio-economic condition of the tobacco farmers in NLS area from 1980 onwards. After introduction of high yielding varieties like McNair-12 and Kanchan in NLS area by Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry there is a significant improvement in the yields and net returns of tobacco farmers thereby benefiting them economically. There is a gradual increase in the average price of tobacco during the past four years and the price level reached its peak in the past two years (Rs. 99.09 & Rs. 128.25). A total of 10 villages and hundred farmers (ten from each village) were selected based on purposive random sampling method. The study revealed that there is a significant change in the socio-economic status of the FCV tobacco farmers in NLS area over a period of thirty years.