<strong>China: Regional Administration Issues Planning for Development of Modern Tobacco Agriculture</strong>

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online 03/19/2013

Guangxi Regional Tobacco Monopoly Administration in southwest China's Guangxi region, which doubles as Guangxi Regional Tobacco Corporation, has recently issued the Planning for the Development of A Modern Tobacco Agriculture in 2013-2015, to guide the tobacco agriculture in Guangxi to realize a shift from the traditional pattern to a modern pattern as early as possible.

The Planning sets a package of general targets for fulfillment in the 2013-2015 period - to complete the construction of comprehensive support facilities for 550,000 mu (36,667 hectares) of basic tobacco fields; to complete the construction of eight national-level units of exclusive high-quality leaf tobacco production and supply bases; to meet the targets of realizing contiguous tobacco growing by at least 80 percent on fields measuring 200 mu (13.3 hectares) or larger, and realizing tobacco growing of scale on an average of at least 20 mu (1.33 hectares) of tobacco fields for every farm household; to complete the establishment of eight comprehensive service-oriented specialized cooperatives of tobacco growers (including at least one national-level outstanding model cooperative); etc.

The Planning makes clear a package of major tasks for the development of a modern tobacco agriculture in Guangxi region:

Firstly, efforts shall be made to improve the construction of infrastructure facilities for leaf tobacco production. Over the next three years to come, the tobacco industry of Guangxi will invest some 400 million yuan (63.5 million U.S. dollars) in striving to promote the construction of infrastructure facilities in tobacco-growing zones in Guangxi to higher levels. As a result, the total investment in the construction of infrastructure facilities for tobacco production in Guangxi will reach 1 billion yuan (159 million U.S. dollars).

Secondly, efforts shall be made to realize large-scale growing, intensive operation, specialized service provision and information-based management, in practically realizing a shift of the mode of leaf tobacco production.

Thirdly, efforts shall be made to promote the extent of production organization and to promote the establishment of comprehensive service-oriented specialized cooperatives of tobacco growers.

And fourthly, scientific-technological innovation shall be adhered to, and vigorous efforts shall be made to generalize advanced applicable technologies. Enditem