Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1506051
70 tobaccoasia Issue 5, 2023 September / October by Ivan Genov (ITGA Manager, Tobacco Industry Analysis) In June, the International Tobacco Growers' As- sociation (ITGA) visited three of the most im- portant tobacco growing countries in the world – Tanzania, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. During the trip, ITGA's President Jose J. Aranda consolidat- ed the support for farmers from key stakeholders and made a call to prioritize growers' viability. Mr. Aranda also emphasized that growers are the key strategic partners to governments and must always be put at the center of strategic decision-making processes. The country engagements included meetings with three Ministers of Agriculture and provided key insights regarding the latest tobacco production dynamics in Africa. In Tanzania, ITGA connected with the To- bacco Cooperative Joint Enterprise (TCJE), an organization owned 100% by tobacco growers through their Secondary and Primary Co-operative Societies. TCJE aims to promote and protect the socio-economic interests of growers, strengthen collective bargaining, and improve local growers' prospects through working with ITGA on interna- tional level. The visit included insightful presenta- tions and discussions regarding the current state of the market, exchanging information about trends, threats, and opportunities. It is worth noting that the Tanzania Tobacco Board is very active in sup- porting the sustainable growth of the sector. The Board also shared tobacco production updates. For example, in the 2021 season, around 58 million kg were sold with an average price of US$1.55 per kg. During last season, 2022, production grew to 61 million kg with an average price of US$1.79 per kg. The current season, 2023, is showings drastic increase, a total of around 120-125 million kg are expected with an average price exceeding US$2.30 per kg. What is more, the Board is taking measures to grow production to over 230 million kg in 2024. ITGA's delegation was also welcomed by the minister of agriculture, the Hon. Hussein M. Bashe (MP) who stated the importance of tobacco growing in Tanzania and his commitment to sup- port ITGA in its efforts to help growers build their capacity towards sustainable tobacco production. Tanzania treats tobacco as one of its five strategic crops. It is in the top three commodities in terms of foreign exchange earnings and more than 2.5 million people are directly or indirectly employed in the sector. Local stakeholders also showcased their efforts in sustainability recognizing that more needs to be done to ensure the long-term pros- pects of growers. In Malawi, ITGA participated in the 35th An- nual Congress of TAMA Farmers Trust, a found- ing member of the association. The meeting was officially opened by the Hon. Sam D. Kawale, minister of agriculture of Malawi. Mr. Aranda con- veyed key messages to him, on behalf of ITGA ITGA: African Support for Tobacco Growers Zimbabwe minister of agriculture addressing ITGA 2023 Africa Regional Meeting in Zimbabwe.