Farmers favour substitute crops replacing tobacco

RANGPUR, Dec 2 (BSS): Farmers at a human chain voiced strong protest against tobacco cultivation today and demanded adequate support and assistance for expanded farming of substitute crops replacing tobacco.
They demanded introduction of effective tobacco farming control policies with stronger provision and its proper implementation to resist interference of the tobacco companies to ultimately replace tobacco cultivation for saving soil health and human lives.
The demand was made at a human chain programme after bringing out procession organised under the banner of the "Agitated Farmers Society" favouring substitute crop farming in place of tobacco at Mission crossing in Lalmonirhat district town.
Earlier, hundreds of farmers took part in the protest procession demanding adequate government support and assistance to inspire and motivate the farmers in cultivating substitute crops in place of tobacco.
Farmer Aminul Islam, Poresh Chandra Roy, Mahbubur Rahman, Shubhash Chandra Roy, Nessar Uddin, Krishna Barman, Abdul Latif, Janab Ali and Abdus Salam, addressed the human chain programme on behalf of the agitated farmers, among others.
The speakers blamed the absence of effective government policies to discourage tobacco farming and said the tobacco companies have been utilising the advantage aggressively in increasing tobacco cultivation using the unprotected farmers of the country.
Citing statistics, they said that tobacco cultivation has been increasing alarmingly as 1.08 lakh hectares of land were brought under its cultivation during the 2013-2014 season against 70,000 hectares during the previous 2012-2013 season in the country.
Being instigated by the tobacco companies, the farmers are attracted to tobacco cultivation to earn more profits temporarily and their fertile lands are going under 'control' of the tobacco companies, they alleged.
They said the tobacco companies have been earning windfall profits using fertilisers and irrigation facilities being provided by the government at subsidised rates and land fertility is being reduced alarmingly for repeated use of excessive chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
The unbearable bad odour and smoke of tobacco while processing it by burning huge woods, the environment is being polluted alarmingly causing imbalance in the nature, sufferings and deadly diseases to the people putting public health at stake, they said.
The farmers called upon the government for taking time-befitting effective steps to discourage tobacco cultivation and encourage them in farming substitute crops in the greater national interests.