Study recommends tobacco cultivation ban introduced over 4-year period

• Says farmers should have time to phase out of tobacco farming and diversify into other crops
• Says Government must take lead role in assisting tobacco farmers in their transition to other cash crops

By Skandha Gunasekara

A recent study on the impending tobacco cultivation ban and its effect on tobacco farmers has recommended that the Government provide financial assistance to tobacco farmers to diversify into other crops while ensuring that tobacco cultivation is phased out instead of implementing an immediate ban.

The research, carried out by Green Space Consultancies headed by founder Dr. Chathura Rodrigo, proposes that the ban is implemented over a four-year period so that tobacco farmers can transition to other cash crops. 

“This is indeed a great opportunity for both the tobacco cultivator who will be diversifying into other crops and for the proprietor as well. Tobacco farming is carried out in an out-grower system and is used for the value chain process. This will significantly help them transition into other cash crops, especially export crops,” he said.

Dr. Rodrigo, noting the financial benefits of tobacco farming, pointed out that tobacco farmers would need to convert to farming export crops as farming crops for local consumption would not provide the same profits.

“Tobacco farmers won’t succeed by farming crops for the local market as that is already being done and additional farmers entering the local market would flood the market with excess supply, further dropping the value of the product. They must look into cultivating export crops,” Dr. Rodrigo said, adding that the Government must play a lead role in this regard to identify suitable crops and provide financial assistance.

In addition, Dr. Pahan Prasada, who also addressed the event, observed that tobacco farmers would move on to other crop cultivation without too much hindrance in farming methods.

“Most tobacco farmers also engage in paddy cultivation. There aren’t traditional tobacco farmers as tobacco was introduced to Sri Lanka and therefore paddy farmers would transition to tobacco cultivating. The foremost reason for the transition from paddy to tobacco was due to the better monetary gains provided by tobacco cultivation,” Dr. Prasada said. 

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Daily FT that as things stood the tobacco cultivation ban would go ahead as planned.

“As far as I know the ban will take effect from 2020. This is what President Maithripala Sirisena has decreed,” the Minister said.