By Editor India is the fourth largest tobacco producer in the world, with 800 million kg of tobacco production in 2025. India produces tobacco for domestic and international markets, where it supplies a wide range of varieties such as Flue-cured Virginia, burley, and chewing tobacco. The tobacco crop is widely grown in warm regions with moderate rainfall and well-drained soil.
Many states have become a natural hub for tobacco cultivation due to the existing environment. A handful contributed to the tobacco production. Understanding which states dominate tobacco production helps highlight regional agricultural strengths, economic opportunities, and the challenges of balancing growth. Here, we will look at the top 5 largest tobacco-producing states in India in 2025, along with key information like total contribution percentage, approximate quantity, dominating regions, and more.
Methodology for Ranking and Data Sources
Finding the exact number is difficult, but there are multiple sources like government data, export numbers, media reports, and published news that can help in getting estimates. The numbers may vary slightly, but the ranking is unlikely to change, considering the significant difference between all the states’ total contributions.
List of the Top 5 Highest Tobacco Producing States:
1. Gujarat – 360 Million KG (45% of National Output)
Gujarat is the biggest tobacco-producing state among others, with a contribution of 350 million kilograms or 45% to the national tobacco output. The state is especially known for bidi tobacco, chewing tobacco, and rustic types. The climate and soil in Gujarat are well-suited for these tobacco varieties. Farmers in Gujarat benefit from established supply chains, good drying/curing facilities, and strong demand (both domestic and for export). Because of its large share, any change in Gujarat’s production. The key regions that dominate the tobacco production are Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Mehsana, Bharuch, and Junagadh.
2. Andhra Pradesh– 160 Million KG (22% of National Output)
Andhra Pradesh ranks second with 160 million KG of tobacco production, which is 22% of the national output. The key regions that dominate in tobacco production are Prakasam, Nellore, Guntur, Krishna, and West Godavari. Most of these regions produce Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) for cigarettes. In the year 2023-24, the production for FCV was 215 million kg, more than in 2025. The key reason behind the success of the tobacco industry in Andhra Pradesh is a good auctioning system, better quality control, and export demands.
3. Uttar Pradesh– 120 Million KG (15% of National Output)
The third largest tobacco producer with 120 Million KG is Uttar Pradesh, and this state contributes about 15% of the national output. The crop types in UP are more oriented toward bidi tobacco, and chewing tobacco forms a considerable part. UP benefits from a large cultivated area, cheap labour, and local consumption. However, the kind of tobacco and the yields are lower (per hectare) compared to some of the states that grow high‐grade FCV tobaccos.
4. Karnataka – 64 Million KG (8% of National Output)
Karnataka produces about 64 million KG of tobacco annually, and the production is increasing with demand as well. Two varieties of tobacco are produced here, which are FCV tobacco (for cigarettes) and bidi or non-FCV tobaccos. The dominating regions in Tobacco production are Mysuru (Mysore), Hassan, Belagavi (Belgaum), and Chitradurga. The key difference between Karnataka and other states’ tobacco is export quality, as Karnataka tobacco is cropped for certain markets.
5. Telangana – 50 to 80 Million KG (6 to 10% of National Output)
Telangana ranks fifth with 50 to 80 million KG or about 10% of the national output. The numbers vary with Telangana, considering no official numbers are available, but there are multiple sources, like the India Trade Portal, where the numbers match what we estimated. The top-producing regions in Telangana are Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, and Khammam. The variety produced in Telangana is used for both FCV (cigarette) and chewing/bidi tobacco. The government is helping farmers through infrastructure development and a better pricing policy to encourage more production.
Bottom Line
As the demand is rising, the tobacco prices are also increasing. Farmers are now getting double the amount for tobacco as compared to five years ago due to better quality production, higher yield, higher demand, and better pricing policy.