Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/550307
58 tobaccoasia approach makes it possible to formulate optimal strategies and tactics for regional management. As far as human resources engaged in tobacco production are concerned, extensive systems of assessing and evaluating their performance need to be established, as they will allow "lean" mecha- nisms for assessment, improvement, optimization and promotion to take hold. Implementing the idea of "lean human re- sources" requires tobacco manufacturers to im- prove the quality of their staff and promote their professional skills in the areas they specialize in. Since the introduction of the "lean produc- tion" concept, some regions in China have at- tempted to delve into developing lean produc- tion, acquiring good experience that everyone else could reference and learn from. Hunan Provincial Tobacco Corp. In 2013, employees of the Hunan Provincial To- bacco Monopoly Administration (also known as Hunan Province Tobacco Corporation) in south central China, formed a special panel with relevant experts to test and assess the various performance indexes and parameters of 79 sets of farm ma- chinery produced by 37 machinery manufacturers, and selected the most outstanding and convenient products among the lot. It also complied and is- sued the 2013 Catalogue of Subsidies for Purchasing Farm Machinery for Field Mechanization of Leaf Tobacco Production in Hunan Province. Almost all specialized cooperatives of tobacco growers in the Hunan Province tobacco-produc- ing zones have established their own task force teams responsible for equipment management and maintenance. Every cooperative has its own farm machinery repair and maintenance center, where tobacco growers can obtain after-sales ser- vice without exception. As far as large-scale farm machinery is concerned, the manufacturers are re- sponsible for providing on-site repair and mainte- nance service on a quarterly basis. In terms of management, the Hunan Provin- cial Tobacco Monopoly Administration guides the local specialized cooperatives of tobacco growers by devising relevant rules and regulations, includ- ing those governing the specialized services for operation and management of farm machinery ac- cording to the situation at the local base units, and regulates farm machinery management, service and operation. Guizhou Provincial Tobacco Corp. Over the last few years, the Yuqing County To- bacco Monopoly Administration (a.k.a. Yuq- ing County Tobacco Subcompany) in southwest China's Guizhou Province has been using an op- eration model characterized by professionalism, specialization of services, and meshing of manage- ment. Under this model, the tobacco subcompany manages to improve its production by developing tobacco growing entities and service provision entities, as well as through large-scale growing of tobacco to form a pattern of large-scale tobacco growing, and establishing modern leaf tobacco production via the optimization of its work proce- dures and implementation of operating standards. In terms of improving the quality of leaf tobac- co, the Administration exercises comprehensive supervision and control over the process of leaf tobacco production in the county, and applies the cellar-type transplantation technology enabling it to extend the planting period by 20 days, which in turn prolongs the period of maturity and improves the quality and flavor of leaf tobacco. When it comes to developing tobacco-growing areas in the county, the Yuqing County Tobacco Monopoly Administration has already completed various supporting infrastructure facilities for tobacco production and a network of standard- ized state-run leaf tobacco purchase stations and lines. It has also managed to promote the appli- cation of organic fertilizer and green production control technologies, achieving success in pro- moting the development of tobacco-growing areas in the county while reducing negative impacts on the environment. China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Co., Ltd. China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Co., Ltd. (CNHIC), located in central China's Hubei Prov- ince, has classified the base units in the province into seven major categories of regional leaf tobac- co supply zones in order to meet the production of cigarettes with different quality requirements. The different types of leaf tobacco grown by the base units are used to manufacture cigarettes un- der different brands. Currently, the base units sup- ply over 70% of the leaf tobacco for the company's cigarette production. The specialists of Hongta Group in Yunnan province continue exploring the high quality organic tobacco leaf plantation technology along with the local farmers.