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<strong>China: STMA Issues Opinions on Leaf Tobacco Grading, Loose Leaf Purchase</strong> Source from: TobaccoChina Online 04/16/2014 ![]() The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) – the regulator of China's tobacco industry – issued on March 20 a set of opinions to raise relevant requirements for doing a good job of specialized grading of leaf tobacco and purchase of loose tobacco leaves for the year 2014, in efforts to further improve norms governing tobacco work. As a result of exploration and operation of pilot projects over the past few years, the work of specialized grading of leaf tobacco and development of ways of State purchase of loose tobacco leaves have both been generally affirmed by manufacturing and commercial enterprises of the tobacco industry, with efforts for promotion hereof kept strengthening. The set of opinions points out that the work of specialized grading of leaf tobacco and development of ways of State purchase of loose tobacco leaves shall take the construction of modern tobacco agriculture bases units as a carrier, and shall be in active shift of the mode of leaf tobacco development, in promotion of the extent of specialization and organization, in reduction of both manpower and costs, in improvement of quality and increase of efficiency, in steady improvement of the quality of leaf tobacco of all grades, in enhancement of the high-quality raw materials supply capacity, and in promotion of sustained, healthy and stable development of the tobacco industry. According to the requirement of manufacturing and commercial enterprises of the tobacco industry for supply, the set of opinions makes it clear that in 2014, arrangements will be made for the work of specialized grading of leaf tobacco and development of ways of State purchase of loose tobacco leaves in 17 provinces (or provincial-level municipalities and autonomous regions) across China including such leading tobacco-producing provinces as Yunnan and Guizhou, with the involvement of 18 provincial-level China Tobacco regional companies, and with a loose tobacco leave purchase quantity of 31.3847 million dan (1.57 million tons). In efforts to encourage and guide tobacco growers to voluntarily participate in the work hereof, and in efforts to practically protect the interests of tobacco growers, the STMA will extend certain funding support to this effect, according to the set of opinions. Enditem |