Santa Catarina and Paraná look forward to exporting leaf to China

Chinais expected this year to approve imports of tobacco from the Brazilian states of Santa Catarina and Paraná, according to a Macau Hub story relayed by Tobacco China Online.

The director of the Vegetable Hygiene Department of the Brazilian Ministry for Agriculture, Livestock and Supplies, Cósam Coutinho, said on Wednesday that the exports were expected to be approved by Chinese health and hygiene authorities.

At a meeting of the Tobacco Sector Chamber held in Brasilia, Coutinho said that the results of laboratory tests on the tobacco in the two states were similar to those of tobacco produced in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which already exports to China.

“China is interested in the tobacco leaves from the southern region of Brazil, and so the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná are expected to be authorised to export tobacco following a visit by a mission of the Chinese health authorities due to take place this year,” he said.

It was announced at the end of August that an agreement had been signed that would provide for the export of leaf tobacco from the Brazilian states of Alagoas and Bahia toChina.

The agreement, which followed official recognition that Alagoas and Bahia were free from the fungus that causes blue mould disease in tobacco, was said to make way for the annual export of US$200 million of leaf tobacco and the creation of 50,000 jobs inBahia.