India is second on the list behind China in manufacturing roughly 800 million kg of tobacco practically every year. Tobacco cultivation owns roughly 0.25 percent area of land throughout the nation.
List of Highest Tobacco Producing States in India
1. Andhra Pradesh
The state of Andhra Pradesh is India’s leading tobacco grower. It is projected that this state produces 110 million kg of tobacco, according to official figures. A few acres of tobacco-growing land will be converted to agricultural land by the state, though.
The Andhra Pradesh state in southern India produced roughly 113 million kilos of tobacco in fiscal year 2021. During the same time period, the top two tobacco-producing Indian states were Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
In the months of June through October, the South-West monsoon brings around 800-1000 millimeters of rain every year to the region. It is only cultivated in irrigated circumstances in Northern Light soils and on black soils during the rabi season, which runs from October-November to February-March.
It is planted on light soils in the Prakasam & Nellore districts of the North East monsoon cyclonic storms, which aid to increase yields in the region’s light soil. Soil moisture must be maintained in black soils, and the area must be clear of standing water and cyclonic storms if the crop is to thrive.
2. Assam
Assam is one of India’s top 10 tobacco-producing states, according to the Indian Tobacco Board. Tobacco farming in this state is facilitated by the state’s good climate and soil quality.
3. Bihar
It seems that the number of people smoking has decreased during the last year or so. Bihar, on the other hand, uses more land than any other states of India for tobacco farming. Bihar is home to one of the oldest cigarette factory in the world.
It stands on the 6th position for tobacco production. Apart from Samastipur, it is grown widely in Sitamarhi, Darbangha, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali.
4. Chhattisgarh
State Chhattisgarh is among India’s most rapidly expanding areas. India’s (GSDP) is $45 billion, having per capita GDP of $1,300. Coal, steel, and energy are all supplied by this resourceful state, which possesses the third greatest coal deposits in the country. Over 40percent of the state is covered by woods, making it the third-largest forest area in the nation.
The state of Chhattisgarh maintains a list of licensed tobacco production enterprises. It has long been considered one of India’s top ten tobacco-producing states. Tobacco farming in this area is made possible by the region’s well-drained soil and mild environment.
5. Gujarat
Surprisingly, Gujarat comes in fifth place in the world for tobacco production. Bidi Tobacco, Hookah, and chewing tobacco are all produced in this area. Tobacco thrives in this location because to the mild environment and little rainfall.
Tobacco is grown in Gujarat across an area of 1.59 million hectares, with the most common kind being bidi tobacco. Chewing, Hookah and rustica (approximately 40,000 hectares) are the other forms of tobacco farmed in Gujarat. With a yield of 1658 kg/ha, the total output is 263 million kg.
A tiny tract in Panchmahals district, which accounts for around 10% of Gujarat’s total bidi tobacco output is the only place in the state where gadaku tobacco grows. Rustica tobacco is mostly grown in the districts of Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Banaskantha, and Mahasena.
6. Karnataka
When it comes to FCV tobacco, Karnataka is one of the best places in the country to get it in plenty. This kind of tobacco may be exported and utilised domestically in cigarette production. A total of 107 million kg of tobacco were produced in 2018 alone.
Karnataka’s Hassan & Mysuru districts are the primary producers of Virginia tobacco. Tobacco covers 70,000 to 1, 00,000 hectares, according to estimates.
The state of Karnataka is India’s second-largest producer of tobacco. The state of Andhra Pradesh is at the top of the rankings.
The majority of Virginia’s flue-cured tobacco is exported. Blending is the most common use for this variety. About 80 percent of Virginia tobacco cultivated in the province is exported, as per Gowda, who served as the Tobacco Board’s former vice-chairman.
7. Madhya Pradesh
Tobacco production in Madhya Pradesh is among the nation’s best in India. This area accounts for around 62% of all tobacco leaves farmed in the world. The Bidi tobacco business is requesting a significant increase in production. In Andhra Pradesh, the tobacco business employs about a million people.
8. Maharashtra
Some distant districts of Maharashtra refer to tobacco as Mishri. Tobacco for snuffing, smoking, and chewing is abundant in this area. In the late 1990s, the tobacco sector became very popular. This region of India has a large number of registered tobacco businesses.
Annual rainfall of 50-100cm and a temperature of 15-20oC throughout the growing season are good for tobacco. When there’s more than 100cm of rain, tobacco will die. Bright sunlight and dry weather are necessary for drying the leaves, but they must not go below 8% moisture content. Leaf fragmentation is a problem when the weather is too dry.
Tobacco requires a certain sort of soil. Tobacco is produced on alluvial soil, black clay loam or loamy soils, and as a rainfed crop. Grey to red soils ranging from mild gravelly to the sandy loams are ideal for growing cigar and cheroot tobaccos. Tobacco for chewing is cultivated all throughout the nation in a variety of soil types. Adding sand to the soil is essential for making a good cigar. Drainage in the soil is essential.
9. Odisha
Only a little amount of Odisha tobacco is used in the local cigarette business. Despite the fact that the state produces a relatively little amount of tobacco, the high quality of its product more than makes up for it
10. Tamil Nadu
It’s no secret that chewing tobacco is a big business in Tamil Nadu. Only 2% of the country’s total tobacco production is grown here. There are many tobacco growers in this area, and their ability to cultivate high-quality tobacco compensates for lower yields.
Santosh Kumar is an editor at unfoldstuffs.com and a professional content writer. With years of experience he is passionate for creating engaging, informative and impactful topics.
