Awareness, protests cut tobacco cultivation in southwestern districts Farmers say it destroys soil fertility Amanur Aman, Kushtia Tobacco cultivation in seven southwestern districts which got a big boost several years ago is declining due to awareness about its harmful effect on soil and health following protests and campaign and also because of farmers' need to grow more food. Farmers now say its cultivation decreases fertility and deposits harmful ingredients in soil. According to sources in the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and officials of now defunct Tobacco Development Board (TDB), tobacco cultivation declined to 14000 hectares in the areas in the current season from last year's 17000 hectares. The highest production was recorded in 2005 when tobacco cultivation covered about 22,435 hectares. It was 20,222 hectares in 2004 and 17,000 hectares in 2003. Sources in its cultivation said the declining trend may continue in the next season as pressure for growing more food will persist. The seven districts known for tobacco cultivation are Kushtia, Meherpur, Jhenidah, Chuadanga, Magura, Jessore and Rajbari. Tobacco cultivation increased in the country mainly at the behwest of cigarette and Bidi companies. Its main buyers were 17 companies including multinational British American Tobacco (BAT. The companies together fixed a production target at 40,000 tonnees in the current season in the seven districts against 38,000 tones last year, according to sources in the companies. Only BAT gave loans and other assistance to farmers to cultivate tobacco on 9,47 hectares, up from last year's 7,000 hectares. There are also at least 70 different seizes of tobacco processing factories in the districts--3 in Jhenidah, 2 in Magura, 4 in Jessore, 2 in Bagerhat, 10 in Chuadanga, 3 in Meherpur and the rest 46 are in Kushtia. The processing companies supplies tobacco to cigarette and Bidi companies after processing raw tobacco. According to sources, Bidi and cigarette companies have been using various 'unhealthy' techniques to lure farmers into tobacco farming for long. They provide interest-free loans, seeds, fertilisers, technical support and buy back facilities to farmers. These companies have a large number of field workers to do the job. They lure farmers into tobacco cultivation, and get 'tips' from companies for 'good performance'. The companies give loans up to 15,000 against one bigha (30 decimal) of land, with buy-back assurance. The companies supply fertilizers, which they get from the Ministry of Food and Agricultural under an 'institutional quota', sources claimed. This correspondent talked to several farmers in Meherpur, Kushtia and Chuadanga during a recent visit. They admitted getting loans and other facilities from companies but declined to be named, saying their names will be dropped from the list of companies. They said they are no more interested to cultivate tobacco as land fertility declines due to use of Ammonium Sulphate. "No crops gives good yield after tobacco is grown in a field for two-three yeas,' said a farmer in Gangni in Meherpur. Officials of some cigarette companies however claimed that they give more emphasis on export than local consumption of tobacco products.