Ongole (AP): A meeting of tobacco farmers on Sunday voiced its opposition to certain draft recommendations allegedly made by the working group for the 5th Conference of Parties (COP 5) on WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to be held in Korea next month.
Claiming that some "special interest groups" may be pushing to cap tobacco farming production, the organisers of the meeting sought the government's help to protect the interest of tobacco farmers.
"We humbly remind our government that the FCTC Treaty does not advocate that countries cap, restrict and ultimately eradicate tobacco farming; and that the FCTC Treaty actually recognizes the importance of government assistance to tobacco farmers who are affected by a drop in demand for tobacco leaf as a result of smoking reduction strategies and changing consumer preferences," the organisers said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, October 21, 2012, 23:51