The flue-cured Virginia (FCV) variety of tobacco grown on about 85,000 hectares of land in Mysore region is much sought after. About 80 per cent of the estimated 100 million kg of tobacco grown in the region is exported.
“The tobacco grown in Karnataka Light Soil is considered to be a very good neutral filler, which can blend with any tobacco. With low nicotine and tar content, it has the least cancer causing content compared to other tobacco varieties,” said Javare Gowda, president of VFC Tobacco Growers’ Federation of Karnataka.
Meanwhile, it may be mentioned that chairman of the Tobacco Board K. Gopal, at a recent meeting with Indian Tobacco Association representatives, leading cigarette manufacturers and dealers in Guntur, released a special bulletin on Karnataka FCV tobacco aimed at informing global customers about the good agricultu re practices adopted to produce the best quality neutral filler tobacco from Karnataka Light Soils.