CTRI catering to farmers' need for seeds

Kakinada: ICAR assistant director general (ADG) D.K. Yadav said Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) is catering to 90 per cent requirement of farmers for seeds, which shows the trustworthiness of the institute.

Participating in the CTRI Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Rajamahendravaram on Wednesday, he pointed out that tobacco is low volume and high value cash crop, which is also exported to foreign countries.

The ADG said while farm mechanisms are reducing the cost of cultivation, climate-resilient technologies should be the new mandate in the changing scenario. He suggested that CTRI collaborate with engineering institutes for achieving this mandate.

Yadav also underlined the need for research in reducing the carcinogenic substances in tobacco.

Rajamahendravaram MP M. Bharat Ram advised CTRI to encourage young entrepreneurs in establishing small scale industries for commercialisation of turmeric and Aswagandha crops.

Rajamahendravaram Rural MLA Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary, who himself is a tobacco farmer, asked tobacco farmers to abide by policies and guidelines of tobacco bard to avoid problems during auctions.

BJP leader Somu Veerraju said alternative uses and by-products of tobacco should be identified and commercialised for better returns.

Adikavi University vice chancellor K. Padma Raju and CTRI director M. Seshu Madhav were present.