Centre positive on extending relief to tobacco, aqua farmers, says Agriculture Minister Atchannaidu
Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu announced that the central government is considering relief measures for tobacco and aquaculture farmers. Proposals include reducing GST on tobacco and providing financial assistance to support local production.
Why it matters
Government intervention in agricultural policy directly impacts the livelihoods of rural farmers and the stability of regional commodity markets.
Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu on Wednesday said the Centre responded positively to the State government’s proposals aimed at addressing the problems faced by tobacco and aquaculture farmers.
He expressed confidence that announcements on reducing GST on unmanufactured tobacco and extending financial assistance to tobacco growers would be made soon.
Addressing a press conference at the TDP headquarters in Mangalagiri, Mr. Atchannaidu said he had met Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Rajiv Ranjan Singh in New Delhi on the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
He said the State had sought a reduction in GST on raw tobacco and financial assistance of ₹15 per kg for farmers from the Tobacco Board’s cess fund.
“The Centre has also responded favourably to proposals aimed at reducing aquaculture feed costs by retaining more domestically produced fish meal and fish oil for local use,” he said.
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