Hirekop Rajan Samuel

Belagavi, 15 June

Awareness campaigns conducted by the health department and the Karnataka government regarding the harmful effects of tobacco consumption on health have yielded significant results, with tobacco cultivation in Belagavi district declining by nearly 50 per cent. Meanwhile, sugarcane farming continues to expand in the district, fuelled by demand for sugar and its by-products.

Once known as the "bowl of tobacco" for being one of the country's largest tobacco-growing regions, Belagavi had around 8,400 hectares under tobacco cultivation in 2023 and is also home to several gutka manufacturing units that depend heavily on tobacco.

According to the latest official records, this area has now reduced to approximately 4,800 hectares as nearly 80 per cent of farmers have shifted to alternative commercial crops such as sugarcane.

"The positive response from farmers has strengthened the confidence of our advisory and awareness campaign teams," said Sahadev Yaragoppa, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Chikkodi.

This comes as the area under sugarcane cultivation has been increasing steadily every year, despite recurring disputes between sugar factories and farmers over pricing and pending payments.

According to Agriculture Department officials, sugarcane carries comparatively lower risks than many other more profit-making crops, which experience rising input costs, labour shortages and pricing uncertainties. There is also sustained demand for sugar and its by-products, such as biofuel.

Belagavi district has 28 sugar factories, producing approximately 2.6 crore metric tonnes of sugar annually. The area under sugarcane cultivation is expected to exceed 3 lakh hectares during 2026-27.

"Notably, 44 per cent of Karnataka's total sugarcane cultivation area is located in Belagavi district alone," Yaragoppa said, adding that Belagavi has transformed from a "bowl of tobacco" into a "plate of sugarcane."