Gujarat tobacco output rises 18% in five years, now accounts for 40% of India’s production.

Tobacco cultivation in Gujarat has risen sharply over the past five years, with the crop now outpacing several other major agricultural products in the state, including onion, garlic, isabgul, fennel, jowar and maize.

Official figures indicate that tobacco production has increased by around 18% in just five years. 

The state produced 3.96 lakh tonnes in 2020–21, compared with 4.67 lakh tonnes in 2024–25. Production is expected to rise further in the current financial year, 2025–26. Gujarat accounts for approximately 40% of India’s total tobacco output, making it the country’s largest producer.

The area under cultivation has also expanded significantly. In the Rabi season of 2022, tobacco was harvested across 1.38 lakh hectares. This year, seeds have been sown on more than 1.76 lakh hectares. Agricultural data show that cultivation has increased annually by between 10 and 19% over recent years, with this year’s acreage 18% higher than the normal three-year average.

Tobacco has a long and complex history in the region. Historians believe the crop reached Gujarat in the early 17th century during the Portuguese era, having first been taken to Europe by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century. It is thought to have arrived in districts such as Kheda and Mehsana around 1605 and later became popular during the Mughal period, when hookah smoking gained prominence.

Although tobacco is not grown as a food crop, it has historically been used for various purposes, including as a pesticide and in traditional medicinal applications. Today, however, it is primarily cultivated for commercial use. In Gujarat alone, an estimated one to one-and-a-half crore people consume tobacco, largely in smokeless forms that are chewed and spat out, contributing to significant public health concerns.

Retail prices for tobacco leaves stand at around ₹50 per 100 grams. However, health experts warn that processed tobacco products often contain numerous additional toxic substances and are marketed under various brand names.

According to the latest available data from the National Family Health Survey (2019–20), 41% of men and 8.7% of women in Gujarat use tobacco. 

A report by the World Health Organisation estimates that 27 crore adults in India are addicted to tobacco. The organisation states that tobacco use increases the risk of cancer, heart disease and several other serious illnesses, and is responsible for around seven million deaths worldwide each year. Of these, an estimated 1.6 million deaths occur among non-smokers due to repeated exposure to second-hand smoke.