Tobacco Board denies low tobacco prices as reason for farmer suicide.
Mysore: The Tobacco Board has denied that the suicide of a tobacco farmer, reported from Gulivinakuppe village in K.R. Nagar taluk of Mysore, was due to a fall in tobacco prices. The report on the suicide was carried by this newspaper.
The board stated that the farmer was an unregistered grower during the 2013-14 crop season. However, the family of the deceased farmer has countered the board's version and said it was tantamount to adding insult to injury.
Tobacco grower Thammegowda had committed suicide by consuming poison in his agricultural field on the night of November 29. His family said Thammegowda took the extreme step due to heavy debts and falling tobacco prices.
However, K. Narasimhaiah, Regional Manager, Tobacco Board, said in a statement that tobacco prices might not be the reason for the farmer's suicide because the average price in the market during the current season is Rs 138.13 per kg as against Rs 122.20 per kg during the corresponding period in 2012-13. The board stated that Thammegowda was a registered grower having double bale license up to 2012-13, but did not sell tobacco during 2012-13 and failed to renew his membership.
Countering the Tobacco Board's statement, the deceased farmer’s brother Nanjegowda told Deccan Chronicle: "The Tobacco Board served us a notice to pay penalty of Rs 16,000 to renew the membership. We requested them to collect the penalty after we sold the crop, but they did not consider our request.”
( Source : dc )
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