http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/agricultural.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.australiannews.net/story/360050 http://tobacco.org/news/265356.html Wildly fluctuating prices have closed Malawi's tobacco commodity auction floors. The tobacco industry has been in turmoil since prices reached the phenomenal price of 11 dollars per kg and then dropped. The value of the leaf has gone down to between 2.30 dollars and 60 cents for the same quality crop. Australian News.net Malawi Fri, 16 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1028549 http://tobacco.org/news/265334.html For the first time in 75 years, no tobacco will be grown on the family farm. "It took a day or two for it to sink in - you can't make it, the numbers don't crunch," said Verkindt. As the planting season in the Ontario sand plain starts this week, the uncertainty tobacco growers have faced every spring for the last 10 years has changed to a grim reality. With this year's crop size predicted to be less than one-seventh of what it was a decade ago, and with little sign of a government buyout on the horizon, farmers have finally hit the wall. "I'm on the verge of losing it," Verkindt said of his farm. Brantford Expositor Canada Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.dailytimes.bppmw.com/article.asp?ArticleID=9559 http://tobacco.org/news/265331.html Major players in the tobacco industry in the country have stressed that the re-introduction of Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) by the health sector to curb malaria would threaten sales of tobacco on the global market. This follows Ministry of Health interest in 2006 to bring back DDT which is one of the known synthetic pesticides to be used in the country to halt reproduction of mosquitoes which spread the killer disease. During a media briefing in Salima on Sunday Executive Director for Agricultural Research and Extension Trust (Aret) Ibrahim Phiri said chances for DDT contamination to tobacco remain very high in rural areas where tobacco is mostly grown. "As an industry we have been consulted on the use of DDT especially in rural areas where malaria is wrecking havoc but there is a conflict here as health officials are trying to protect us from this killer disease while we are looking at protecting the country's major forex earner from being shunned on the international market," said Phiri. He added that Malawi's tobacco may be threatened if the country accepts DDT re-introduction as there would be scepticism on whether the leaf is pure. Daily Times Malawi Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://allafrica.com/stories/200805150726.html http://tobacco.org/news/265330.html Malawi's tobacco industry has been in turmoil after wildly fluctuating prices led protesting farmers to force the closure of the auction floors. . . . However, the exceptional prices did not last. On the second day, the flicker of hope died. Prices have since fluctuated, with the value of the leaf dropping to between 2.30 dollars and 60 cents for the same quality crop. The statutory Tobacco Control Commission's (TCC) general manager Godfrey Chapola confirmed that prices started off high because of a tobacco shortage on the global market. He said that that some countries which grow tobacco have stopped while others have reduced production levels, causing consumption to be higher than supply. The fluctuation in prices has affected farmers badly. All-Africa.com Malawi Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://simcoereformer.ca/News/400844.html http://tobacco.org/news/265278.html The problem is nobody wants them, not even Verkindt. It took a lot of thinking, and convincing from his wife, but the third generation tobacco grower recently decided not to transfer the crop to his fields. For the first time in 75 years, no tobacco will be grown on the family farm. "It took a day or two for it to sink in - you can’t make it, the numbers don’t crunch," said Verkindt. As the planting season in the Ontario sand plain starts this week, the uncertainty tobacco growers have faced every spring for the last 10 years has changed to a grim reality. With this year’s crop size predicted to be less than one-seventh of what it was a decade ago, and with little sign of a government buyout on the horizon, farmers such as Verkindt have finally hit the wall. "I’m on the verge of losing it," Verkindt said of his farm. The story across the tobacco belt is the same, said Celia Stone, a "transitional consultant" who sat down with the Verkindts this spring and helped them come to terms with their situation. "I’ve had a lot of farmers who were going to grow now say they can’t make the numbers work," said Stone, who is advising tobacco growers through a government-funded program. The situation turned, she said, after federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz announced in March there would be no government buyout for growers. Now, she said, farmers are facing a situation in which they can’t afford to put in another crop and without government aid are in danger of not being able to make mortgage and debt payments. "For the first time, people are starting to think ‘I can’t stay on the farm.’ Even if they find themselves another job, it’s not going to cover their debt loads," she said. Simcoe Reformer dpearce@bowesnet.com (Daniel Pearce SIMCOE REFORMER ) Canada Wed, 14 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://allafrica.com/stories/200805071139.html http://tobacco.org/news/265083.html Contract manufacturing helped boost cigarette maker British America Tobacco Kenya profits, but concerns remain over the company's ability to maintain the growth trend after June when the Tobacco Control Act comes becomes operational. Shareholders expressed fears of business failure because of the increasing anti-smoking lobbying and the possibilities of legal suits from affected smokers. During the company's Annual General Meeting yesterday, shareholders urged the company to diversify to bio-fuel and optimise its earnings from carbon credits trade. . . . Earlier this month, a British anti-tobacco lobby known as ASH said in a report that profit achieved by the global tobacco company in Africa was causing ill health and deaths. The ASH said while smoking is declining in the West, BAT's profits in Asia and Africa grew by £2 million to £470 million last year. But BAT corporate and regulatory affairs manager for sub-Saharan Africa Keith Gretton refuted the claims saying BAT's profit in Europe grew from £781 million to £842 million last year-an increase of over £60 million. All-Africa.com Kenya Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/Global_factors_see_AP_tobacco_auction_prices_at_all-time_high/articleshow/3028661.cms http://tobacco.org/news/265079.html BANGALORE: Prices of FCV (Flue-Cured Virginia) tobacco in the ongoing auctions in Andhra Pradesh have touched all-time high. At the end of May 8, the 76th day of the AP auction conducted by the Tobacco Board, 111.33 million kg (mkg) had been sold for an average per kg price of Rs 78.44, almost 63% higher than the average of Rs 47.59 realised from the sale of 110.85 mkg in the corresponding period of last year�?(TM)s auction. Industry sources say the steep spurt in prices is because of a global supply constraint following factors like withdrawal of Chinese tobacco from the export market because of stock adjustments to meet rising domestic demand. The Times of India India Sun, 11 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://allafrica.com/stories/200805070031.html http://tobacco.org/news/264835.html Tobacco deliveries to the auction floors have improved over the last few days as the impasse over pricing has subsided. At the Tobacco Sales Floors yesterday, tobacco was fetching between US$3 and US$4 per kg, a slight decline from US$5 last week, while auction sales at the Burley Marketing Zimbabwe were in the region of US$3 per kg. Contract sales at TSF were ranging between US$1,50 and US$3 per kg. While auction sales passed without incident, some small-scale contract farmers protested over prices for their tobacco. Some farmers alleged that contractors were shortchanging them as they were being made to sell their tobacco under contract when they had received little support from contractors. All-Africa.com Zimbabwe Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV20080507123874.html http://tobacco.org/news/264815.html Some 5,000 hectares of tobacco farms are being eyed as additional areas for palay growing to help meet the rice requirements of tobacco farmers in line with the Arroyo administration’s accelerated efforts to increase palay harvest and mitigate the effect of a food crisis that is affecting the whole world. The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) said the other day a 26,000-strong umbrella group of tobacco farmers led by the Philippine Association of Tobacco-Based Cooperatives (PATCO) and other industry stakeholders are ready to support an intensified palay production program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in response to this global problem. Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap lauded the support of the major stakeholders in the tobacco industry-- cigarette manufacturers, tobacco buyers and exporters, redrying plant and trading center operators, contract growers or farmers -- for the department’s heightened moves to achieve record high in palay harvests and raise the national self-sufficiency level in rice from 92.38 percent this year to 98 percent in 2010. Manila Bulletin Philippines Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2008/05/06/5487871.html http://tobacco.org/news/264814.html They're making political hay these days in Southwestern Ontario's tobacco belt about the federal government's refusal to help growers get out of the business. Political opponents of Conservative MPs Joe Preston (Elgin-Middlesex-London) and Diane Finley (Haldimand-Norfolk) are churning the stuff out by the bale. Liberal rivals for both are blasting Preston and the Conservatives for voting down a Liberal motion in Ottawa last week to immediately implement an exit strategy for hard-pressed tobacco producers. Suzanne van Bommel in Elgin-Middlesex-London is accusing Preston of preferring to vote with his party than to support his constituents. . . . Both issued press releases criticizing Preston for joining three other Conservatives late last week to oppose the Liberal motion of support for tobacco farmers introduced at the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food. Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz had earlier ruled out funding an exit plan for producers. London Free Press cmartin@lfpress.com (CHIP MARTIN, SUN MEDIA) Canada Tue, 06 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.tobaccoatacrossroads.com/ http://tobacco.org/news/264670.html * The Presidential Tobacco Commission Report and FDA * "SMOKEFREE" TOBACCO AND NICOTINE PRODUCTS: A Constructive and Practical "Road Map" Towards a Civil Dialogue to Influence Public and Private Sector Policy Decisions. (November 2007) * AHEAD House Testimony (FDA/Tobacco) (October 2007) About the Alliance: The Alliance is an informal organization whose purpose is to educate, stimulate, and facilitate discussions with and between public health advocates, growers, the scientific community, tobacco manufacturers, consumers, pharmaceutical and biotech interests about a spectrum of issues related to the production, processing, manufacture, distribution, labeling, marketing and use of tobacco and tobacco products. The Alliance is an outgrowth of the Southern Tobacco Communities Project established in the mid-1990's Alliance for Health Economic and Agriculture Development ScDBa@aol.com Tue, 06 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1013766 http://tobacco.org/news/264657.html Liberals say they will try to bring the plight of beleaguered tobacco farmers to the floor of the House of Commons in Ottawa this week in an emergency debate. Brant MP Lloyd St. Amand said his party will ask the speaker of the House to call a special session to discuss an exit program to help growers leave their shrinking industry. Last week, St. Amand and Liberal Agriculture critic Wayne Easter successfully pushed through a motion in Parliament's agriculture advisory committee calling for the Conservative government to implement the buyout program put forward this spring by the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers' Marketing Board. Brantford Expositor Canada Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/apr/24/sabotage-suspected-farms-tobacco-crop-loss/ http://tobacco.org/news/264618.html State agriculture officials are investigating an intentional poisoning of tobacco crops at a farm in Sanford. Lee County farmer John Gross told WRAL-TV in Raleigh that the plants inside his greenhouse have been destroyed. Officials believe someone put a toxic chemical on the plants, and tests are being done to determine what chemical was used. AP webstaff@journalnow.com (The Associated Press) Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=33745&cat=8 http://tobacco.org/news/264438.html Tobacco auction floors opened in Harare yesterday but sales ended prematurely as farmers blocked them protesting against the opening price. Angry farmers tore up sales tickets and stood on tobacco bales to block auctioneers, while others tied up bales to prevent access. Only one bale fetched US$3,90 per kg while some sold for between US$1,70 a kg to US$2,50 per kg. The farmers said they were not happy with the opening price and would be comfortable with a price in the region of US$5 to US$7 a kg. Zimbabwe Herald Zimbabwe Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=33698&cat=8 http://tobacco.org/news/264351.html THE 2008 tobacco-selling season, which was postponed from last week to this week, is expected to start today, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board has said. The official opening ceremony was expected to take place at 7.30am at the Tobacco Sales Floors. "The chairman of the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, Mr Njodzi Machirori, advises farmers and members of the industry that the 2008 tobacco-selling season will officially open on Wednesday 30th April 2008 at 7.30am," read part of the TIMB statement. It was, however, not immediately clear what had been agreed upon with regard to the concerns raised by tobacco farmers, which include the support price. Zimbabwe Herald Zimbabwe Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT