After cigarettes, beedi makers halt production

Protest against rule that mandates pictorial warnings cover 85% of packs

Days after cigarette manufacturers halted production in the country, beedi makers have followed suit. The move comes after the Union government ordered for mandatory pictorial warnings covering 85 per cent of cigarette and beedi packs, effective from April 1.

“It is not possible to print the warnings, as stipulated," All India Bidi Industry Federation (AIBIF) said on Thursday. According to AIBIF, it is difficult to print such warnings on reasonably large area of beedi packs which have curved areas and wrapping paper edges. Describing the government’s proposal “too harsh,” a Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation earlier suggested that pictorial warnings cover 50 per cent on one side of beedi packs.

“The practical impossibility implies that the beedi industry cannot implement the rule in its present form. Therefore, it is not possible to produce beedis without violating the law,” R P Patel, president, AIBIF, said.

The Rs 7,500-crore industry supports 20 million people, directly or indirectly, including two million Adivasis, who pluck tendu leaves in forest areas, according to AIBIF. Mandatory pictorial warnings on beedi packs were first introduced in 2008 and currently warnings cover 40 per cent of one side of packs.

According to AIBIF, halt in production could impact eight million beedi rollers, mostly women, apart from 500,000 packers. Beedi is prepared by rolling tobacco inside tendu leaves, unlike cigarettes, which are rolled inside thin paper strips. The industry usually maintains an inventory of 60 days.

On April 1, cigarette manufacturers stopped production due to ambiguity over the size of warnings.

“The industry makes an appeal to the government to save the jobs of workers who have limited alternative employment opportunities. The government should amend the notification as applicable to the beedi industry to restore production," Patel said.