The maximum price of Rs. 145.60 a kg was realised for virginia tobacco this season in Andhra Pradesh on the auction floors in West Godavari district on Wednesday, according to Mr. Kamala Vardhana Rao, the Chairman of the Tobacco Board.
He said that so far 112.52 million kg of tobacco had been sold on the floors in the State at an average price of Rs. 98.51 a kg. He said the board had authorised 162 million kg of crop in the State and therefore roughly 50 million kg more needed to be sold.
"The auctions are going on at a faster pace this season. Last year, in the corresponding period only 78 million kgs of the crop could be sold at an average price of Rs. 107.67 a kg. In West Godavari, in the northern light soils (NLS), the maximum prices are realised. The exports have picked up of late and the performance has been encouraging in the first quarter. It has had a positive impact on the auction prices," he said.
He said there would not be any problem in concluding the AP auctions as per schedule and then starting the auctions in Karnataka. There is standing crop in Karnataka.