Briefing journalists in Blantyre, JTI Leaf Malawi Corporate Affairs and Communication Director Harold Msusa said JTI works with growers from the nursery to the market and provides them with technical capacity and necessary inputs that the growers require to produce quality tobacco.

“On Monday, 26th June, we will go to the Lilongwe Auction floors and launch this initiative. We will reward farmers under the JTI contracted schemes in different categories including quality and volume of the tobacco. We are so far impressed with the type of tobacco growers are bringing to the floors this year and we thought this is the right time to show our appreciation,” said Msusa.

Msusa added that JTI buys tobacco according to the volume demands from the main company in Geneva and for the past years, JTI bought 20 - 24 Million Kilograms of tobacco a year. He promised farmers to continue buying tobacco that is of good quality.

Msusa said all JTI contracted growers are eligible to enter the incentive plan. What is required of them is to send good quality tobacco, well graded and without NTRM and should meet the agreed volumes.

He said a total of 5,000 growers will receive different prizes ranging from solar panels, flex pumps and JTI branded apparels. According to Msusa the incentive plan runs until the end of this year’s tobacco marketing season.