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Tag: tobacco growers

  • Pyxus Named Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP

    Pyxus Named Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP

    Pyxus International, Inc. announced that it has been named a Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP for the third consecutive year, earning an “A” rating on CDP’s Supplier Engagement Assessment Leaderboard. The recognition places Pyxus among the top tier of global companies for its work engaging contracted growers and suppliers on climate action across its value chain.

    CDP’s assessment evaluates governance, emissions-reduction targets, Scope 3 emissions management, and value-chain engagement as part of its annual climate disclosure process. Pyxus said the designation reflects its ongoing efforts to work with growers to improve environmental performance, strengthen supply chain resilience, and deliver measurable emissions reductions through supplier education and shared accountability.

  • Pakistani Tobacco Growers Raise Tax, Pricing Concerns

    Pakistani Tobacco Growers Raise Tax, Pricing Concerns

    A delegation from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tobacco Action Committee met Faisal Karim Kundi in Islamabad to highlight challenges facing growers across Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Buner, and Mansehra, citing rising taxes and low tobacco prices. The group said current policies threaten livelihoods despite tobacco contributing more than Rs 3.25 billion ($11.7 million) annually to the provincial economy. The Governor voiced support for farmers and proposed forming a joint committee including growers, the Federal Board of Revenue, Customs, and the Pakistan Tobacco Board to address the issues through consultation.

  • Zimbabwe Sees Tobacco Volumes Rise, While Prices Fall

    Zimbabwe Sees Tobacco Volumes Rise, While Prices Fall

    Zimbabwe’s tobacco deliveries to auction and contract floors have surged 83% year on year, earning farmers nearly $200 million since the marketing season opened on March 4, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board. A total of 67.2 million kg of tobacco valued at $197.7 million has been sold so far, up from 38.8 million kg worth $133 million over the same period last year.

    Despite the higher volumes, prices remain subdued, with the average price at $2.79/kg compared to $3.44/kg previously. Most of the crop — about 95% — has been sold through contract floors, with only 3.8 million kilograms sold at auction by self-financed farmers. The highest prices recorded this season were $5.75/kg on contract floors and $4.92/kg at auction, both below last year’s $6.30/kg peak.

    The Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association said farmers are receiving payments on time as required under Statutory Instrument 77 of 2022, though high production costs and multiple levies continue to squeeze earnings.

  • 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.

  • 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.”