Context: With top global Tobacco producers such as China, Brazil and Zimbabwe reporting issues relating to production output, the demand for Indian tobacco has increased significantly. Tobacco farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, who reaped a good harvest in the 2023-24 season, have reported record prices for the produce.

Tobacco crop

• Tobacco refers to several plants in the genus Nicotiana, primarily N. tabacum, which is the chief commercial crop used for various products. 

Etymology:

• The English word “tobacco” originates from the Spanish word “tabaco.”
• Its precise origin is disputed, but it likely derives from the Taíno language of the Caribbean. In Taíno, it meant either a roll of tobacco leaves or an L-shaped pipe used for sniffing tobacco smoke.

History:

• Tobacco has been used in the Americas for centuries. Cultivation sites in Mexico date back to 1400–1000 BC.
• Traditional use includes smoking, chewing, snuffing, and extraction of nicotine.
• Iroquois mythology attributes tobacco’s origin to Earth Woman’s head after she died giving birth to her twin sons, Sapling and Flint.

Health Impact:

• Tobacco use is associated with many deadly diseases, including heart, liver, and lung conditions, as well as various cancers.
• In 2008, the World Health Organization named tobacco use as the world’s single greatest preventable cause of death.

Global Impact:

• Tobacco kills up to half of its users who don’t quit and causes over 8 million deaths worldwide.
• WHO provides resources to reduce tobacco demand and its health and economic consequences, including measures like pictorial health warnings, taxes, and advertising bans.

Tobacco Cultivation and Climate:

Origin: Tobacco is tropical in origin, but it is grown successfully under tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate climates.

Ideal Conditions:

• Frost-Free Climate: Tobacco requires about 100 to 120 days of frost-free climate to mature.
• Temperature: An average temperature of around 80°F (27°C) is ideal for tobacco growth.
• Rainfall: A well-distributed rainfall of 88 to 125 mm per month is essential for tobacco crops.
• Soil: Tobacco is grown in warm climates with rich, well-drained soil.

Global scenario of Tobacco

• In India, Gujrat is the largest producer followed by Andhra Pradesh which is 41% and 22% respectively.

Tobacco Board of India

• The Tobacco Board was constituted as a statutory body on 1st January 1976 under Section (4) of the Tobacco Board Act, 1975. 
• The Board is headed by a chairman with its headquarters at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh and is responsible for the development of the tobacco industry. 
• While the primary function of the Board is export promotion of all varieties of tobacco and its allied products, its functions extend to production, distribution (for domestic consumption and exports) and regulation of Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco.

 Practically every state in India cultivates some type of tobacco, and the country ranks second in global tobacco production after China.