JTI Intensify Farmer Awareness On Dangers Of Non-Tobacco Related Material In Tobacco Bales

The Japanese Tobacco Company JTI, has expressed hope that it will manage to eradicate problems related to the presence of Non Tobacco Related Materials (NTRM) found in the bales of tobacco among its contracted farmers following intensive awareness to farmers of the dangers associated with presence of such materials in tobacco. 

Govt Commends JTI Leaf For Launching Food Aid Initiative Targeting 3, 500 Households

Allan Chiyembekeza, Fries Vanneste
Handing ovet maize to beneficiary 

Malawi Government hails one of the leading tobacco buying company, JTI for coming up with food humanitarian response program targeting 3, 3500 households across the country. 

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Alllan Chiyembekeza commended the JTI on Wednesday when launching the initiative at Namitete in the area of Traditional Authority Kalolo in Lilongwe.

Beneficiaries from T/A Kalolo

For a period of three months, JTI Drought Relief Program will involve distribution of food ratios to tobacco growers and their dependants even other families who are not in tobacco farming.

Allan Chiyembekeza

Allan Chiyembekeza said this is a welcome idea at this time when up to 3 million Malawians are experiencing hunger due to droughts and floods.

“Well it’s a very welcome idea, remember we have been talking that we are in a crisis, so many people need food and I don’t think Government alone can manage, this is why JTI decided to came forward to assist government on one side to assist by distributing this food to their farmers.’’ Said Chiyembekeza

An old woman, Magene Chisenga from Lemwe village got her first ration at the launch and could not hide her excitement “Am very happy to receive this food.’’

‘’This is like a dream, our eating pattern changed; we would eat today and go without food the next day so the life has been like that, for so many days I and my five grand children have been going to bed without food.” Narrates Chisenga, and continued ‘‘We never knew where we are going to get food but now I know that this night we are going to eat and I am assured that we will eat for the next three months.”

Fries Vanneste 

Speaking at the launch, Managing Director for JTI, Fries Vanneste said their humanitarian response comes after the company’s leaf technicians had made a national wide assessment of the severity of the drought and food situation in communities where JTI buy its tobacco.

“The reason to embark on this project is our contractual relationship we have with the farmers called pure IPS. IPS is not only looking after contracts with the farmer just to buy the tobacco but also looking further on the interests and their wellbeing as farmers and their families.” Said Vanneste

He mentioned that the estimated target of 3, 500 households translates to 24 thousand people beneficiaries who includes the elderly, widows, single-headed families and youths.

According to Vanneste, every month, every household will get one 50kg bag of maize, one 10kg bag of beans and 2 litres of vegetable oil. He also indicated that the project will cost about US$310, 000, involving total of 525 tons of maize and 105 tons of beans.

Up to 89,203 households are estimated to be in hunger in Lilongwe district alone, according to Lilongwe district Principal Administration Officer, Mariette Kadewere. Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee report of 2015 indicated that over 2.8 million Malawians requires humanitarian response following adverse weather conditions that the country experienced in early 2015, which resulted in declining production of maize and other food crops across the country.

TCC Plead With Roads Authority To Rehabilitate Kanengo Roads As JTI Thanked For Good Partnership

The Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) has asked National Roads Authority to include Kanengo Industrial roads in its road rehabilitation works programme.

The call was made at the commissioning of a 200 metre road in Kanengo industrial site in Lilongwe. The road has been rehabilitated with K52 million from JTI a tobacco buying company.

Munthali: important area has bad roads 

Speaking on Monday at the launch of the road, TCC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bruce Munthali said Kanengo which is a every important area, has number of its roads in bad shape. 

“Most of our roads here in Kanengo are in bad shape" he said

Tehabilitated road now
seen heavy trucks moving smoothly 

However in an interview, Munthali said after delivering his speech at the commissioning of the road, CEO of National Road Authority assured him that there is a programme to rehabilitate most of the roads including Kanengo industrial site roads.

On the rehabilitated road, the TCC CEO, said was pleased that a tobacco buying company has done such great job which will in the end benefit all businesses that ply on the road.

Bruce Munthali said “ This undertaking by JTI is quite commendable because is in line with the government that Tobacco companies should partner with government to ensure that they have expanded corporate social responsibility programmes. So the road construction by JTI definitely goes along way to demonstrate that commitment to government and Malawi that tobacco companies should also undertake such activities.”

He said, before rehabilitation, the road was in a bad shape, during rainy season it was slippery and in dry season it had potholes which was an added cost to transporters.

Munthali then said the undertaking by a tobacco buying company JTI of rehabilitating a 200 mitre road at Kanengo Industrial site in Lilongwe is a good example that companies in the sector should emulate. 

“My appeal is to the tobacco buying companies that this type of undertaking should be emulated by all. And partner with government to rehabilitate Kanengo roads and not only in Kanengo but even roads found countrywide." Appealed Munthali 

JTI, on Monday, opened the heavy concrete 200 metre road which costs the company K52 million. The company took it upon itself to do the rehabilitation after other companies and the Lilongwe City Assembly failed to respond to its request to support rehabilitation works.

Lilongwe City Assembly Hail JTI for Rehabilitating Road In Kanengo

Rehabilitateđ róad 

The Lilongwe City Assembly says is impressed with one of Malawi's tobacco buying company, JTI for rehabilitating a 200 metre road at Kanengo Industrial site.

JTI has single-handedly rehabilitated the road which pass by the company's warehouse to a tune of K52 million. The high quality concrete road is conducive for heavy trucks.

Mayor (center)

Deputy Mayor of Lilongwe City, Akwame Bandawe, said when commissioning the road “This attests to the fact that if we can join hands with the private sector, we can make our city a better place to live in” he said

He described this support from JTI as "so colossal" then appealed to other companies to borrow a leaf from JTI and partner with the City Assembly in improving the City’s infrastructure.

Akwame Bandawe 

“The needs of the city are many and yet the resource envelope is too narrow. We expect the private sector to come to our rescue and take part in developing this City. We will as a City Assembly continue to harness a cordial working relationship with the private sector as corporate citizens and of course all the city dwellers in ensuring that we provide utmost good amenities for the people.” he added

The Deputy Mayor however, admitted that the City is failing to carryout its functions and provide services because it lacks resources since a lot of individuals and institutions continue to shun from paying city rates. He disclosed at the event that the city assembly did not respond to JTI request for the City Council's support for the rehabilitation of the project due to financial constraints


“We have a lot of defaulters when it comes to city rates, so it’s a challenge for us to be giving out what we are supposed to be doing because we rely on the same money. So its a challenge now and that is why we are saying that we really need to hold hands when coming with these kinds of developments” said Akwame

Bruce Munthali 

Chief Executive Officer for Tobacco Control Commission (TCC), Bruce Munthali also hailed JTI for such a commendable undertaking.

"This undertaking by JTI is quite commendable because is in line with the government that Tobacco companies should partner with government to ensure that they have expanded corporate social responsibility programmes. So this road construction by JTI definitely goes along way to demonstrate that commitment to government and Malawians that tobacco companies should also undertake such activities.”

Fries Vanneste

Earlier, Fries Vanneste, JTI's Managing Director said the company rehabilitated the road as a way of assisting government development endeavors in ensuring utmost good infrastructure to spar socio-economic development as well to facilitate JTI business processes and enhance safety requirement.

Vanneste said the road was in a very poor state which negatively impacted on their business operations and other companies in Kanengo.

“Due to its sorry state, the road was slippery during the rainy season and therefore not conducive for heavy trucks that ply this road on daily basis.” he said

“As a responsible corporate citizen we felt we had a role to play in ensuring that this road is rehabilitated. We therefore took the initiative to contribute to the city’s infrastructure by repairing this road and create a meaningful and win-win scenario for both the city and our business success.”

He further assured that the company will continue support government development agenda on road infrastructure because as a tobacco buying company understands that it cannot comfortably transport tobacco if the road network is bad.

President Mutharika Asks Tobacco Buyers to Give Fair Prices to Farmers

President Professor Peter Mutharika has asked tobacco buyers to give growers fair price as the market season kick start this Wednesday.

The Malawi leader was speaking at Kamuzu Palace on Tuesday evening during an audience with tobacco buyers where he stressed that he considered it necessary to hold meeting with them as the market season begins.

Before the meeting was held in camera, President Mutharika made two significant appeals. He asked tobacco buyers to give tobacco farmers fair price this year so that they benefit from their sweat, he also appealed to both buyers and seller the need to ensure that this year, should be a smooth market season.

President Mutharika hinted that the meeting was to discuss some challenges being faced by tobacco buyers and chart a way forward and looking at grey areas that surround  tobacco buying systems particularly on contract farming.

He spoke highly on the need to explore means of ending challenges that farmers are experiencing on contract farming especially on  Integrated Production System (IPS) which among others farmers are complaining that they do not have a bargaining power for their product.

President Mutharika however, stressed that "No matter what the system is used in the buying of tobacco" but  growers must have a fair price.

He also asked farmers to ensure that they bring high quality tobacco to the market floors and should refrain from practice of mixing tobacco with foreign objects as this may diminish the interest of buyers from buying their tobacco.

His excellency Mutharika also assured the stakeholders that Malawi government values them as key players in the tobacco sector. He further expressed government commitment to work with them and resolve all challenges in the tobacco sector.

Representative from tobacco buyers while thanking government for its positive approaches in the tobacco sector and pledging commitment to ensure that they grow their businesses together with farmers. They have also assured government that they shall remain true partner of Malawi government in the tobacco sector.

Among stakeholders that had an audience with President Mutharika includes, ARET, Alliance One, JTI, Malawi Leaf, TAMA and Limbe Leaf.

Mutharika says WHO FCTC Serious Threat to Tobacco Production: Commends JTI for Commitment to Support Tobacco Industry

Mutharika says WHO FCTC Serious Threat to Tobacco Production: Commends JTI for Commitment to Support Tobacco Industry

President Mutharika his Vice and Minister of Agriculture

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika says tobacco production is still facing a lot of challenges and key among them is the issue of the anti-smoking lobby spearheaded by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in order to safeguard human health.

He says Anti smoking lobby has had and will continue to have negative effects on demand for tobacco world-wide and may therefore seriously affect Malawi’s foreign exchange earnings and the livelihoods of tobacco farmers.

“The WHO FCTC is a serious threat to tobacco production since it restricts demand and supply of tobacco products through various strategies, which include restrictions on marketing and consumption of tobacco products.” Said President Mutharika when opening JTI’s new Factory Warehouse Extension and Factory Line Upgrade Project in Lilongwe

“My Government is concerned with this development” he said, “but Malawi cannot stop overnight growing tobacco. We will continue growing tobacco based on trade requirements until when there is no demand.”

He however said his government will continue seeking other alternatives such as Green Belt Initiative, Cotton Up-scaling Programme, and Oilseeds Promotion Programme, a well as encouraging farmers to transition and switch from tobacco to other economically viable enterprises.

President Mutharika further commends JTI for initiating investment that promises future of tobacco industry in Malawi and promised that his government is committed to passing a new laws that support sustainable growing and selling of tobacco, which will protect the livelihoods of the country’s millions of smallholder growers including creating conducive environment for business of tobacco companies.

Tobacco contributes 60% of foreign exchange earnings to Malawi.

Paul Neumann, Senior Vice President of JTI said the new warehouse and substantial upgrades to their tobacco processing line at their site in Lilongwe, is worth more than 5 billion Kwacha and it is JTI’s long-term commitment to the future of tobacco in Malawi.

“Seeing people develop as they learn new techniques in management, contribute to the development of our long-term business strategy, and bring online sophisticated IT projects, makes me confident that JTI is bringing Malawians, and Malawi, further onto the stage of international business.” He said

“That future is bright, but seems at times a long way off. I believe that we are on a journey towards that horizon, together.”

He said JTI apart from continuously supporting its business in Malawi through targeted social and economic investments the company is improving the lives of not only individuals, but of entire communities in order to boost mutual success.

He also mentioned that JTI’s long-term focus on four basic areas among them preserving tobacco growing and related businesses, demonstrate Social and Environmental leadership, and maintain close relationships with growers to achieve a stable long-term supply of tobacco leaf is key to future shared prosperity.

He said the company is convinced that Malawi is a great place to invest because of mutual desire that exists in this area and added that for the past four years JTI invested over 400 million dollars with foreign currency and buying of the leaf apart from other investments in social responsibility and programs on ending child labour.

JTI Malawi operations employ more than 1 300 people and works directly with over 11 000 growers, and after some years since the company terminated its plans to build a cigarette manufacturing plant in the country following government administration delays Mr. Neumann firmly said that their business model does not support such investment now but JTI is not done with other kinds of investments in Malawi.

The newly built warehouse adds additional storage area equivalent to more than two football pitches, while the upgrades to the processing plant (threshing) enhance quality, productivity and safety.

JTI Asks Malawi Govt To Revise Tobacco Policies

The Japanese Tobacco Industry (JTI) wants Malawi government to address some of the policies and regulations that are directly affecting companies in Tobacco industry.

The company has observed that some of the old regulations are an impediment for a win-win situation among the key players in the tobacco industry.

JTI’s Cooperate Affairs and Communication Director Mr. Limbani Kakhome made these remarks in Lilongwe at a JTI’s facilitated workshop called ‘Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) Seminar’ aim at enhance skills for the Directors from various government Ministries and Departments in becoming effective policy and regulatory makers.