ANNUAL REPORT 2021-22

Abstract

India is the second largest producer and exporter of tobacco after China and Brazil respectively. It is grown in an area of 0.42 M ha producing 758 M kg of Tobacco. Tobacco contributes ~ Rs. 28,000 crores to the National exchequer in terms of excise revenue (~22,000 crores) and export earning (~6000 crores). Different tobacco types such as Flue Cured Virginia (FCV), Burley, Oriental, Bidi, Natu/ Pikka, Chewing and Rustica are grown under diverse agro - climatic conditions. To address the location specific needs of different tobacco types, the All India Coordinated Project on Tobacco was established by Indian Council of Agricultural Research during 1970 - 71 with the headquarters of the Coordinating unit at Anand (Gujarat). The headquarters was subsequently shifted to ICAR - CTRI, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh 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, ICAR - CTRI, Rajahmundry. A total of numbers of 14 centres (3 Main centres, 7 sub - centres and 4 voluntary centres) are functioning at present. The three main network centres of AINPT are located at Rajahmundry, Shivamogga and Anand; 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 ICAR - Central Tobacco Research Institute (ICAR - CTRI), Rajahmundry. 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; Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar and Chandra Sekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, respectively (Table 1). The existing Scientific, Technical, Administrative and Supporting staff strength was 16, 21, 03 and 01, respectively. AINPT Co - ordination Unit at Rajahmundry co - ordinates activities of all the centres and monitors the research programmes through four Project Investigators located at ICAR - CTRI, Rajahmundry. It also co - ordinates resource activities of different centres and also with ICAR on all the administrative, financial and issues related to the coordinating centres and ensure implementation of all the mandated programmes as per the guidelines of ICAR.