SOUTH AFRICA
The Black Tobacco Farmers Association (BTFA) was introduced to the industry in late January 2019.
Francois van der Merwe, chairman of the Tobacco Institute of SA, said the institute viewed the formation of the BTFA as a necessary step in ongoing fights against escalation of illicit cigarettes in the country, as the cigarettes have cost farmers billions in earnings. “It’s just an indication that those farmers can see that their livelihoods are going down the drain because the government is not doing enough to clamp down on the illicit trading of tobacco,” Van der Merwe said.
BTFA founding member and chairperson, Ntando Shadrack Sibisi, said the industry was losing SAR8 billion to the trade of illegal cigarettes every year.
He called for an immediate crackdown on illegal cigarettes, saying: “Not only are our members at risk but 10 000 jobs in the broader tobacco farming sector are at risk as the legal cigarette market declines rapidly.”
Sibisi also said BTFA was aimed at empowering black tobacco farmers through training and mentorship programs; improving living and working conditions in farms; and advocating against the illegal cigarette trade, saying, “The future of farming relies on a symbiotic relationship between farmers, government and all industry stakeholders,” he said.
According to Sibisi, the BTFA would give farmers a formal voice to engage with government.
“It’s a wonderful development and I will give them all the support that I can to make sure that they have a platform to talk to government. This will give them a voice to say to government you’ve got to protect us or else our future will just disappear.”