Philip Morris International will build a cigarette factory in Morogoro and buy at least 12 million kg of Tanzanian tobacco annually over the next five years, reports The Citizen. The company hasn’t purchased leaf from Tanzania since 2017.
According to Minister of Agricultura Hussain Bashe, PMI has partnered with another firm in Tanzania to build a cigarette factory, which he says may commence operations toward the end of 2024.
Tanzania tobacco farmers produced 120 million kg in the most recent growing season. This year, they are expected to cultivate 200 million kg.
Anti-tobacco groups criticized PMI’s decision to build a factory. “The announcement is yet another act of hypocrisy from the tobacco giant that claims it is committed to “delivering a smoke-free future. You don’t achieve a smoke-free future by building new cigarette factories or by shipping 613 billion cigarettes worldwide, as Philip Morris did in 2023,” said Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, in a statement.
“The move by Philip Morris to double down on cigarette sales in Africa shows that the company is blowing smoke and can’t be taken seriously when claiming that it wants to end cigarette sales. Philip Morris is working to sell as many cigarettes as it can for as long as it can.”