AINP on Tobacco - Annual Report 2017-18

Abstract

Tobacco, one of the important high value commercial crops in India, is valued for its potential to generate farm income and employment to farmers and farm labours, and revenue to the government. It is grown in area of 0.45 M ha in the country with a production of 761 M kg. India ranks second in the world tobacco production, after China with 2,807 M kg. During 2016-17, tobacco made a significant contribution of Rs. 28,712 crore to Indian economy in terms of excise revenue (Rs. 22,737 crore) and export earnings (Rs. 5,975 crore). Therefore, continued research backup for tobacco is justified for socio-economic transformational effect that this crop wields on farming communities. India is endowed with diverse agro climatic zones and grows different tobacco types, because of the diverse agro-climatic conditions. The All India Coordinated Project on Tobacco was established by Indian Council of Agricultural Research in the Fourth Five Year Plan during 1970-71 with the headquarters of the Coordinating unit at Anand (Gujarat). The headquarters was subsequently shifted to CTRI, Rajahmundry, A.P. on 16-08-1998. Further, the AICRP on Tobacco was renamed as All India Network Research Project on Tobacco and kept under the administrative control of the Director, CTRI, Rajahmundry. The four main network centres of AINPT are located at Rajahmundry, Shivamogga, Anand and Pusa; the seven sub-centres at Nipani, Nandyal, Berhampur, Araul, Dinhata, Guntur and Hunsur. The four voluntary centers of AINPT are functioning at Ladol, Jeelugumilli, Kandukur and Vedasandur. The centres at Rajahmundry, Guntur, Hunsur, and Dinhata are functioning under the administrative control of Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI), Rajahmundry. Pusa centre is now under the administrative control of IARI New Delhi. Anand, Shivamogga, Nipani, Nandyal, Berhampur and Araul centres are under the administrative control of respective Universities, viz., Anand Agricultural University, Anand; University of Horticulture and Agricultural Sciences, Shivamogga; University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad; Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar and Chandra Sekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, respectively.