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  • ITGA Marks World Tobacco Growers’ Day

    ITGA Marks World Tobacco Growers’ Day

    The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) marked World Tobacco Growers’ Day on Oct. 28, an annual observance established in 2012 to recognize tobacco-growing communities worldwide. ITGA President Marcílio Drescher extended his appreciation to tobacco growers and their families, acknowledging the work and challenges involved in farming.

    “We understand the hard work, dedication, and challenges that are part of the daily lives of tobacco-growing families,” Drescher said. “That is why we want to extend our warmest regards and heartfelt appreciation to every tobacco grower, as well as to all those who work hard to produce so much of the food we put on our tables.”

  • ITGA Seeks Stories for World Tobacco Growers’ Day

    ITGA Seeks Stories for World Tobacco Growers’ Day

    The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) is seeking short videos or written messages from members of the tobacco-growing community and wider industry ahead of World Tobacco Growers’ Day on Oct. 28. This year’s campaign, themed “Our Reality. Our Voice. Our Future.,” will highlight the experiences, role, and perspectives of tobacco growers and their communities. ITGA said contributions may include messages recognizing tobacco growers, their role in the sector, or the importance of their voices, and will be shared through the association’s communication channels around Oct. 28. Participants are asked to submit their contributions by Oct. 21.

  • ITGA Elects New President at Annual Meeting

    ITGA Elects New President at Annual Meeting

    The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) concluded its 2026 Annual General Meeting at Messe Dortmund, Germany, during InterTabac, bringing together representatives of tobacco growers and grower organizations from major producing regions. The meeting marked a leadership transition, with Marcílio Drescher, president of Afubra in Brazil, elected ITGA president, succeeding José Javier Aranda. Members recognized Aranda’s four-year presidency and his work on advocacy, regional coordination, and engagement with international regulatory processes.

    Discussions at the meeting focused on global leaf production and market developments, grower economic sustainability and living income, regulatory developments, traceability, and environmental stewardship, changing nicotine-consumption trends, and regional advocacy coordination. ITGA said its work during 2026 included stronger member and partner engagement, expanded regional coordination, cooperation with InterTabac and InterSupply, an Americas Regional Meeting, continued regional activity in Africa, and living-income research involving more than 700 growers.

    Drescher said his priorities for the next mandate would include strengthening growers’ representation in international discussions, advancing understanding of growers’ economic realities and supporting the long-term viability of tobacco-growing communities.

  • ITGA Chief Calls for Better Incomes for Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Farmers

    ITGA Chief Calls for Better Incomes for Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Farmers

    Outgoing International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) President José Javier Aranda called on the Zimbabwe government, merchants, and contractors to prioritize farmers’ livelihoods, warning that the long-term sustainability of the global tobacco industry depends on growers earning a living income. Speaking at the ITGA Africa Regional Meeting 2026 in Harare, Aranda said tobacco farmers continue to bear rising production costs, climate-related risks, and increasing regulatory pressures while receiving shrinking returns, despite value creation elsewhere in the supply chain.

    Zimbabwe Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka, speaking as both a government official and tobacco farmer, acknowledged that this season’s prices had been disappointing and noted production costs have risen about 90% since 2017, calling for targeted farmer support and measures to improve profitability. The meeting, which concludes this week, also highlighted concerns that oversupply is squeezing contractors and financiers, with delegates urging greater collaboration across the industry to strengthen grower incomes and ensure a sustainable future for the sector.

  • Brazil Attacking its Own Farmers, Critics Say

    Brazil Attacking its Own Farmers, Critics Say

    The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) criticized Brazil for sending an “anti-tobacco” delegation to COP11, pointing out the hypocrisy for the third-largest tobacco grower in the world. In contrast, it pointed to Poland, which reportedly defended its 30,000 growers who held protests in Warsaw ahead of the conference.

    “Farmers also highlighted the hypocrisy of reducing European production only to replace it with imports,” the ITGA wrote in its daily update. “In Geneva, Poland’s delegation reinforced these concerns with strong statements defending growers and calling for balanced policymaking.

    “In stark contrast, Brazil—where more than 133,000 farming families rely on tobacco—has sent one of the most aggressively anti-tobacco delegations, showing little regard for the livelihoods at stake in its own domestic sector.”

    Romeu Schneider, vice president of Afubra (the Tobacco Growers’ Association of Brazil), voiced his opposition to the Brazilian government’s tobacco policy. “Brazil should never have ratified the FCTC, as it compromises national sovereignty and threatens Brazil’s tobacco market, which is valued for its quality and volume and has promoted many social and environmental initiatives in rural communities,” he said. “Tobacco is economically and financially crucial for a developing country like Brazil, yet current policies risk ceding this market to other countries. These measures are deeply concerning and place Brazilian producers in a difficult position, prompting strong indignation from our side.”

  • ITGA Marks 20 Years of Advocacy at WHO FCTC, Calls for Grower Inclusion

    ITGA Marks 20 Years of Advocacy at WHO FCTC, Calls for Grower Inclusion

    The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) reaffirmed its commitment to representing millions of tobacco growers worldwide as the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) celebrates its 20th anniversary. In a statement, the organization said that for two decades, ITGA has engaged in the FCTC process, emphasizing the social and economic impacts of tobacco control policies on growers. The organization participated in the FCTC’s first public hearing and has attended every Conference of the Parties (COP), advocating for transparency and the inclusion of growers’ voices.

    As COP11 convenes, ITGA calls for continued dialogue, evidence-based policymaking, and policies that consider the livelihoods of families dependent on tobacco cultivation.

  • Happy World Tobacco Growers’ Day

    Happy World Tobacco Growers’ Day

    Each year since 2012, October 28 has been celebrated as World Tobacco Growers’ Day (WTGD), the date when Europeans reportedly first observed tobacco as Christopher Columbus arrived at the island that is now the Dominican Republic. Founded by the International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA), the day is meant “to celebrate the legitimacy and dignity of the work carried out by millions of tobacco growers around the world.”

    “Since its establishment, World Tobacco Growers’ Day has been celebrated across many countries, honoring the dedication and contribution of farming communities,” the ITGA says. “In several nations, the day has even been formally institutionalized, becoming a proud annual tradition that recognizes the economic, cultural, and social importance of tobacco growers. A global day to honor those who cultivate the land and preserve a living heritage.

    “WTGD shines a light on the cultural, historical, and socio-economic legacy of tobacco growing — a livelihood that has shaped generations and sustained rural communities for centuries. Tobacco growers work in a legal and regulated market, and this day is about giving dignity and recognition to their honest labor and enduring contribution to the global agricultural landscape.”

  • ITGA Demands Inclusion Ahead of WHO COP11

    ITGA Demands Inclusion Ahead of WHO COP11

    On World Tobacco Growers’ Day, global tobacco farmers raised concerns over their continued exclusion from international policymaking, calling for transparency and inclusion ahead of next month’s WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Conference of the Parties (COP11) in Geneva. International Tobacco Growers’ Association president José Javier Aranda sent a letter saying the FCTC process has become increasingly opaque, with decisions made behind closed doors and little agricultural representation—fewer than 5% of delegates have expertise in farming. He warned that measures discussed at COP11 could impact millions of livelihoods across tobacco-producing nations.

    “We understand the concerns about the negative impact of tobacco consumption, and we support policies that are genuinely aimed at reducing harm,” Aranda said. “But what we cannot understand is why tobacco growers and their representatives are given such a fundamentally different treatment compared to other sectors.

    “As representatives of tobacco growers, we cannot remain silent. We raise our voice today to condemn this misconduct of the WHO FCTC Secretariat. Our governments must stand with us. I have already sent a letter to the WHO and the WHO FCTC, calling for transparency and inclusion. We expect to be heard.”

  • ITGA Meeting Focuses on Sustainability, Eyes COP11

    ITGA Meeting Focuses on Sustainability, Eyes COP11

    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.

  • ITGA Announces Annual Meeting

    ITGA Announces Annual Meeting

    Tobacco-producing countries from North, Central, and South America have been invited to participate in the International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) “Americas Regional Meeting on April 24 in Jujuy, Argentina

    The ITGA is convening stakeholders from the tobacco sector across the Americas to address key issues currently impacting the industry. This year’s discussions will place particular emphasis on the increasing regulatory pressure from the World Health Organization (WHO), driven by its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which will host its Eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP11) this coming November.

    Brazil—currently the world’s largest exporter of tobacco and the second-largest producer after China—has taken one of the strongest opposing stances in the context of these WHO negotiations. The Brazilian Tobacco Growers’ Association (Afubra) will be in attendance to advocate for the socio-economic importance of tobacco in the regions where it is cultivated and to showcase initiatives that promote family farming both within and beyond the tobacco sector.

    “We must support our Brazilian brothers in defending the sector because it affects us all and must be seen as a joint struggle,” said José Aranda, president of the ITGA.