Initiative for Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco Farmers | 27 Feb 2024

Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco is predominantly cultivated in India, primarily in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, with the current crop season underway.
The Michaung cyclone caused heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh, severely affecting the FCV tobacco crop across several districts.
- Against this backdrop, the Government of India has approved an interest-free loan of Rs 10,000 from the Grower Welfare Fund of the Tobacco Board for FCV Tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh.
Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) Tobacco:
- FCV tobacco is an important commercial crop grown during kharif as rainfed crop predominantly on red sandy loam soils.
- The FCV tobacco cultivated in Karnataka Light Soils is known as ‘Mysore style tobacco’.
  - Curing prepares harvested tobacco for market by standardising the process to achieve desired leaf qualities and remove moisture.
India grows ten distinct types of tobacco in 15 states, including cigarette (FCV, burley, Oriental) and non-cigarette types (Bidi, chewing, hookah and cigar), making it the world's second-largest producer and exporter of tobacco.