MP Krishna Devarayalu raises A.P. tobacco farmers’ plight in Parliament

TDPP leader and Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu on Wednesday drew the attention of Lok Sabha to the deepening distress of tobacco farmers in Palnadu, Guntur, and Prakasam districts in Andhra Pradesh.

During a debate on the Central Excise Amendment Bill, 2025, Mr. Krishna Devarayalu said that rising debts, rejected auction lots, unsold produce, slumping prices, and shrinking market demand had left thousands of farmers in crisis.

Launching a pointed attack on the ITC Limited, the MP alleged that despite posting ₹5,187 crore net profit in Q2 during FY26, the company failed to meaningfully deploy CSR funds for farmer welfare or crop diversification. He also alleged that Godfrey Phillips India (GPI), too, did not come to the rescue of the farmers.

He noted that when prices collapsed this season, it was the Andhra Pradesh government that intervened by spending ₹278 crore to stabilise markets and protect growers.

Referring to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s request for assistance through the Tobacco Board, the MP urged the Centre to share the burden and extend immediate relief.

ITC, GPI react

Responding to the comments of Mr. Krishna Devarayalu, the ITC Limited said it had been spending substantial funds on CSR initiatives. P. Venkatram Reddy, General Manager (Industry Affairs) of ITC, said the company was among India’s most consistent corporate contributors to rural development.

D.S. Jithendra Kumar, Senior Vice-President of GPI, said, “We have honoured all our commitments. We issued contracts to farmers for VK Burley (Vinukonda) and HD Burley, and we purchased 100% of the contracted volumes as agreed.”