Tanzania: Alliance One Tobacco Expects Bumper Crop

Source from:  Tanzania Daily News 06/22/2010

Dar Es Salaam - ALLIANCE One Tobacco Tanzania Limited (AOTTL) has announced the commencement of the tobacco buying season for the 2009/2010 crop and from the recently completed survey amongst farmers who are members of Primary Co-operative Societies contracted to Alliance One - a bumper tobacco crop is expected. The total tobacco yield expected for the country this season will amount to 79.7 million kilogrammes with an anticipated income to farmers totalling to USD 182 million. Out of this total production, AOTTL is expecting to buy 30 million kilogrammes valued at USD 67.5 million from the 22,000 farmers it supports through 166 contracted Primary Co-operative Societies. AOTTL Managing Director, Mr Graham Kayes said that the survey conducted by his company has assisted farmers in the country to plan their processing and seasonal staff employment requirements as well as with payments to farmers. "Our preparations include our annual maintenance and the recruitment of seasonal staff for the processing of this year's crop and that processing began during the first week of June, this year and is expected to run through to December, this year." he said. "We are looking to have employed about 2,200 seasonal staff between May and August 2010, he noted. He said that during this period the factory will be operating at 3 shifts over 24 hours," he said. The survey has also helped AOTTL's global customers plan their leaf requirements and that visits to the AOTTL's processing factory by customers will begin in June and continue throughout the processing period. Mr Kayes further said that as it has done over the past 10 years, Alliance One continues to play a major role in tobacco production and processing in the country to ensure the increasing quality of its tobacco and the growing prosperity of its farmers. Enditem