The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) last week, with discussions covering market trends, regulation, and sustainability. Growers expressed concern over oversupply pressures and shrinking profitability, while new analysis from Euromonitor International suggested global leaf tobacco demand will remain stable in the medium term. ITGA stressed that advocacy must start with farmers’ lived experiences, which provide credibility and balance in regulatory debates.
Looking ahead to COP11, ITGA warned of insufficient agricultural expertise in global policymaking and vowed to press for more inclusive dialogue. The AGM also reaffirmed its commitment to securing a living income for farmers, with ITGA President José Aranda cautioning that ignoring this issue could threaten entire markets.
