Tobacco Board, Guntur

Registration of Nursery Growers - Rule 33 C of Tobacco Board Rules 1976

According to Section 10-A(1) No person shall grow Virginia tobacco seedlings for commercial purposes unless he registers himself as a nursery grower(commercial). Every year the Board registers the nursery growers who raise tobacco seedlings for commercial purpose.

Registered growers who wish to raise seedling for their own use are authorized to raise nursery in an area not exceeding 1/50th of area for which registration as a grower has been accorded.

To ensure availability of adequate tobacco seedlings of required varieties.
The committee lays down the Registration criteria and guidelines, taking into account the factors mentioned in Rule 33 A (3) of the Tobacco Board Act, 1975.
To ensure commercial nursery growers raise seedlings on scientific methods and supply pure, healthy, and sturdy seedlings at reasonable prices to the registered tobacco growers.
For registering as commercial nursery grower application shall be filed in Form-3.
The fee payable is Rs.50/- for every 0.1 ha of area.
The certificate of registration is issued in Form-4.
The Nursery grower is required to submit returns in Form-7 and Form-8 and to maintain registers in Form-5 & Form-6 for inspection.
Registered growers who raise seedlings for their own use are authorised to raise nursery in an area not exceeding 1/50th of area for which he has been accorded registration as a grower

Criteria for registration/renewal of registration of Commercial nursery growers (Rule 33-C, D):

Farmers intending to obtain registration/renewal of registration as a commercial nursery grower have to file an application in Form-3 and furnish information required there under and these applications shall be considered for grant of registration/renewal of registration subject to the following conditions.

a) The field/plot where commercial nursery is proposed to be raised should be free from soil borne diseases, and should be away from known areas for such diseases.

b) Applicant shall possess adequate water facility suitable for irrigating tobacco nursery and water meant for irrigation should not contain chlorides more than 40PPM.

c) The Nursery Growers shall use “Authorised seed” supplied by Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) or ITC-ILTD research division invariably.

d) An amount of Rs.50/- per 0.10 ha or part thereof may be collected towards registration fees.

e) The nursery grower should not have been involved in activities which are in violation of Tobacco Board Act, Rules & Regulations, such as involving in illegal sales/purchases/unauthorised cultivation/construction of barns etc.

An individual commercial nursery grower may be granted registration to a maximum extent of 2.00 ha.
In case of renewal of registration, the nursery grower shall submit returns Form No.–7 & 8 of the previous season within stipulated time. In case the same are not submitted by the applicant last year, a penalty of Rs.500/- may be imposed on such commercial nursery growers. For delayed submission of returns a fine of Rs.250/- may be imposed.
The applicants for renewal of registration as commercial nursery growers are also required to submit registers in Form No.–5 & 6 (Rule-33 E 1) to the Auction Superintendents on demand for verification and scrutiny before issue of seed and granting renewal of registration as commercial nursery growers.
Commercial nursery growers shall display a notice board at the nursery plot indicating varieties grown, TBNR No. etc., and supply pure healthy, disease and nematode free and hardened seedlings to registered growers only and follow such directions and conditions as applicable to commercial nursery growers.
All the commercial nursery growers/registered growers raising their nursery shall be informed that the supply of seedlings shall be completed and all the seed beds shall be destroyed on or before 30^th November 2018to avoid late and staggered plantations.

Fees payable

As per the rules 33(4) (for registration as a grower of Virginia tobacco) of Tobacco Board (Amendment) Rules, 1988 the fee payable is Rs.1/- per 0.40 ha. (one acre) and with corresponding increase of the fee with increase in area.