Tobacco farmers under the umbrella of Bharatiya Kisan Union (A) are demanding that political parties including BJP and Congress should declare minimum support price (MSP) for tobacco crops in their election manifestos for

polls.

After a meeting at Gambhira village of Anand district, the farmers body threatened that if the political parties fail to announce MSP for tobacco, they will boycott the polls with ‘No Vote’ campaign.

They demanded that the political parties should promise Rs 2,000 per 20 kg bag as MSP for tobacco grown across Gujarat and MSP in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per 20 kg bag for tobacco grown by the iconic Gambhira Farming Cooperative is hailed as Asia’s only farm co-operative that cultivates high-quality tobacco on the banks of Mahisagar river.

“We have approached state unit presidents of both BJP and Congress that they should promise MSP for tobacco crop in their manifestos. If they don’t we will run a ‘No Vote’ campaign across the state,” said Ravi Patel, president of the Gujarat unit of the farmers’ body.

The farmers body has been organizing ‘Kisan Chaupal, Kisan Panchayat’ in several villages of Charotar belt of central Gujarat and Mahisagar district for the one year demanding that tobacco farmers should get proper prices.

“This year, the tobacco production has declined due to insufficient rains. Also, there is enough demand from the tobacco merchants. In this situation, the farmers should get their due remuneration,” he said.