**Executive Summary**
This document provides an answer to Unstarred Question No. 548 in the Lok Sabha regarding farmers engaged in tobacco cultivation. The question was to be answered on February 3rd, 2026, and details the government’s efforts to promote quality improvement, value addition, and export competitiveness in tobacco, as well as initiatives to shift farmers to alternative crops. The report includes data on tobacco cultivation, production, and crop diversification programs.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Tobacco Cultivation and Production:**
* For the agricultural year 2024-25, the total area under tobacco cultivation in the country was estimated at 491.37 thousand hectares, with an overall production of 1,036.91 thousand tonnes.
* State-wise data on area and production of tobacco for the last five years is provided in Annexure I.
* **Government Initiatives for Tobacco Improvement:**
* ICAR-National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (NIRCA), Rajahmundry, is actively disseminating technologies and good agricultural practices to farmers.
* NIRCA is involved in the development of high-yielding varieties, reduction of harmful substances through genome editing tools, and ensuring good-quality leaf for global export.
* NIRCA provides high-purity seeds to farmers through its seed portal.
* **Crop Diversification Programme (CDP):**
* The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) implements CDP under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY).
* CDP encourages farmers in 10 tobacco-growing states (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal) to shift to alternative crops/cropping systems since 2015-16.
* Tobacco-growing states have the flexibility to take suitable activities/interventions to shift from tobacco to alternative crops, based on centrally sponsored/state scheme cost norms.
* Details of funds allocated, released, and utilized for CDP in tobacco-growing states for the last five years are provided in Annexure II.
**Impact Analysis**
**Tobacco Farmers in the 10 CDP States (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal)**
* **Impact:** Encouragement to shift to alternative crops/cropping systems, and access to suitable activities/interventions for shifting from tobacco to alternative agricultural/horticultural crops.
* **Action Required:** Farmers in these states can explore opportunities under the CDP to diversify their crops and adopt sustainable farming practices.
**ICAR-National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (NIRCA), Rajahmundry**
* **Impact:** NIRCA is the central implementing body for all government initiatives regarding tobacco production and improvement, placing them in a leading role in all the listed activities.
* **Action Required:** NIRCA must continue their operations relating to the CDP.
**Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) and providing flexibility to tobacco-growing states.
* **Action Required:** Oversee and manage the CDP, ensuring funds are allocated, released, and utilized effectively, and monitor the progress of crop diversification in tobacco-growing states.
**Tobacco-growing States**
* **Impact:** Flexibility to implement activities for shifting from tobacco crops to alternative crops under the CDP.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the flexibility provided under CDP to implement activities/interventions to shift from tobacco to alternative crops, based on approved cost norms under centrally sponsored/state schemes.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW): The department is implementing Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) in 10 tobacco growing states
Crop Diversification Programme (CDP): A program under PM-RKVY to encourage farmers to shift to alternative crops/cropping systems in tobacco-growing states.
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY): A centrally sponsored scheme under which the Crop Diversification Programme is being implemented.
ICAR-National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (NIRCA), Rajahmundry: Actively disseminating technologies and good agricultural practices to farmers involved in tobacco cultivation.
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal: The 10 tobacco growing states where the Crop Diversification Programme is being implemented
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 548
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3RD FEBRUARY, 2026
FARMERS ENGAGED IN TOBACCO CULTIVATION
548. SHRI TANGELLA UDAY SRINIVAS:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the number of farmers engaged in tobacco cultivation across the country, along with the
total area under cultivation and production during the last five years, disaggregated by
tobacco type such as FCV, Burley, Chewing and others, State and year-wise;
(b) the initiatives undertaken by the Government during the last five years to promote
quality improvement, value addition and export competitiveness in tobacco, along with
measurable outcomes;
(c) the number of tobacco farmers who have shifted to alternative crops under Central or
State schemes and whether any data is available on changes in income levels and
sustainability of such transitions, State-wise;
(d) the targets set and achieved for reduction of tobacco acreage and promotion of
sustainable farming practices; and
(e) the funds allocated, released and utilised for crop diversification, capacity building and
market linkages related to tobacco farmers during the last five years, State-wise?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a): During the agricultural year 2024-25, the total area under tobacco cultivation in the
country was estimated at 491.37 thousand hectares, with an overall production of 1,036.91
thousand tonnes. The details of State-wise area and production of tobacco during the last
five years is at Annexure I.
(b): ICAR-National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (NIRCA),
Rajahmundry is actively disseminating technologies and good agricultural practices to
farmers and is involved in the development of high yielding varieties, reduction of harmful
substances in the tobacco through genome editing tools, good quality leaf within the GlobalReference laboratories (GRLs) for meeting export demand and supply of the high purity
seed to the farmers through NIRCA seed portal.
(c) to (e): The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is
implementing Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under Pradhan Mantri - Rashtriya
Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) in 10 tobacco growing states namely Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh
and West Bengal to encourage farmers to shift to alternative crops/cropping system since
2015-16. Under CDP, the tobacco growing states have been given the flexibility to take
suitable activities / interventions to shift from tobacco crops to alternative agricultural /
horticultural crops, as per the cost norms approved under any centrally sponsored
schemes/state schemes. The funds allocated, released and utilised for the tobacco growing
states namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil
Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal under CDP (Tobacco Replacement)
during the last five years is given at Annexure II.Annexure I
State-wise Area and Production of Tobacco during the last 5 years
Area (in thousand hectares) Production (in thousand tonnes)
State
2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Andhra Pradesh 61.00 57.00 58.00 84.00 139.00 145.55 132.30 118.09 200.17 313.31
Bihar 10.33 10.28 10.32 10.67 6.74 18.12 18.09 18.14 18.73 11.98
Gujarat 170.45 191.64 192.85 189.40 204.79 396.19 452.08 447.22 420.09 468.97
Karnataka 71.00 80.00 76.00 77.00 79.00 58.86 63.44 56.54 56.06 36.97
Maharashtra 0.59 0.53 0.50 0.69 0.82 1.19 0.80 0.82 0.79 2.13
Odisha 0.07 0.05 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.05 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02
Tamil Nadu 1.77 1.54 2.10 2.12 2.59 2.70 2.35 3.20 3.23 3.95
Telangana 1.00 3.00 3.00 5.00 11.81 1.85 6.65 8.55 12.86 32.26
Uttar Pradesh 25.00 28.00 23.00 28.00 33.29 109.03 123.03 93.43 128.24 140.48
West Bengal 14.41 12.56 12.32 12.29 12.30 19.74 17.46 22.73 24.24 25.83
Others 1.54 1.48 1.23 1.16 1.01 1.97 1.32 1.12 1.14 1.01
All India 357.16 386.08 379.34 410.35 491.37 755.25 817.55 769.86 865.57 1036.91Annexure II
Statement Showing state-wise Allocation, Release and Utilization under RKVY for the sub-scheme namely CDP (Tobacco
Replacement) during 2020-21 to 2024-25 as on 29.01.2026
(Rs. In crore)
S. Name of the 2020-21 2021-2022 2022-23* 2023-24 2024-25
No State
Alloca- Relea Utiliza- Alloca- Release Utiliza- Alloca- Alloca- Releas Utiliza- Alloca- Release Utiliza
tion se tion tion tion tion tion e tion tion -tion
1 Andhra 3.19 1.21 0.00 3.19 0.00 3.19 3.45 0.00 3.45
Pradesh
2 Bihar 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.27 0.00 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 Gujarat 3.02 3.01 3.01 3.02 1.51 3.02 3.02 0.00 3.02 1.50
4 Karnataka 2.40 0.00 0.00 2.40 1.20 0.97 2.40 2.44 2.44 1.11 2.44 2.44
5 Maharashtra 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
6 Odisha 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00
7 Tamil Nadu 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.04 0.04 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08
8 Telangana 0.16 0.00 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.16 0.14 0.00 0.15 0.07
9 Uttar Pradesh 0.57 0.57 0.57 0.57 0.28 0.28 0.57 2.13 1.50 1.50 2.13 2.13 1.82
10 West Bengal 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.14 0.14 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28
Total 10.01 4.87 3.66 10.00 3.17 1.43 10.00 11.54 4.30 2.97 11.55 6.22 1.82
*No release made during 2022-23
*****