Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/724263
66 tobaccoasia / Issue 4, 2016 September / October images courtesy of Alliance One International By Thomas Schmid Employing measures to fully track and trace (T&T) the movement of tobacco leaf from the growers to traders and processors and, ultimately, to the factories is a daunting yet absolutely indis- pensable task. An effective T&T mechanism is not only supposed to help prevent illicit leaf from entering the market (thus depriving manufacturers and governments of considerable revenues), but it also protects the interests of tobacco growers and ensures that the end consumer is guaranteed a high-quality product. A further implication is price stabilization and the curbing of over-supply of sub-standard produce at the source. Reputable merchants and tobacco companies alike have recognized the crucial importance of putting an uncompromising T&T system into place, which meticulously documents the origin of every single batch or bale of leaf purchased and handled. AOI: top of the pack Alliance One International (AOI) is one of the world's two largest leaf merchants, trading tobac- co originating from all corners of the globe and supplying leading manufacturers on all continents. The company has always put great emphasis on T&T and is a staunch supporter of international efforts to stem the smuggling and trading of illicit tobacco. It's been long-standing industry consensus that tobacco leaf must be tracked and traced in an uninter- rupted chain from grower to manufacturing facility. While the majority of parties involved comply, there are always those who flaunt the system. Tobacco Leaf Track & Trace Laborious but Indispensable AOI advisor (right) in Brazil using a GMS tool during a farmer visit