Union Commerce Ministry has asked Tobacco Board chairman K Gopal to proceed on leave until further orders after ‘taking cognizance of his absence and his visit abroad

12032276_1674682846106166_1547208064936797007_nMrs.Nirmala Sitharaman visited Guntur and assured tobacco farmers here on Saturday that the entire production of 172 million kg in Andhra Pradesh in the 2014-15 crop season would be procured by September 30 but within a price band based on five years’ average prices.