Stable tobacco production despite a challenging season: A record Virginia yield exceeding 5,000 tons

Tobacco production in 2025 was assessed as stable, with good yields and preserved quality, according to tobacco producers and experts from Japan Tobacco International at the annual meeting held in Laćarak. The meeting brought together the company’s long-standing partners and associates, who discussed the results of the current season, exchanged experiences, and presented plans for the upcoming period. Awards were also presented to the best producers and for the highest-quality tobacco.

In 2025, JTI collaborated with 395 farmers from Srem, South Banat, and Mačva, who, despite variable weather conditions, successfully maintained stable production and high-quality tobacco through joint efforts.

“Production was challenging from the very beginning of the season. Although we experienced a pronounced lack of rainfall during part of the summer, weather conditions in the second half of July enabled strong plant growth and a quality improvement. As a result, a record Virginia yield of 5,152 tons was achieved, which is about 1.5 million more than the previous year,” said Milan Bjelivuk, Tobacco Production Manager at JTI. He explained that the average yield per hectare was around two tons, exceeding the market average. At the same time, special attention throughout the season was paid to preserving tobacco quality and controlling the production process.

Such results were achieved thanks to investments in modern equipment, good work organisation, and long-term partnerships that the company maintains with producers. That this approach translates into strong results in the field was also confirmed by Dragan Dražić, one of the award-winning producers who has been cooperating with JTI for more than ten years. “This year I grew tobacco on eight hectares, with an average yield of about two tons per hectare. I had irrigation systems and a well-coordinated team I’ve been working with for years, and when you also have a stable partner like JTI, planning and investing in production is much easier,” said this farmer from Mačva.

Similar experiences were shared by Ivana Gojić from Jarkovac, who has been involved in tobacco production for 16 years: “I have been cooperating with JTI the entire time and can say that we are very satisfied. Throughout the season, we receive financial and professional support. This year we produced around 55 tons of tobacco on 23 hectares, with an average yield of about two tons per hectare.”

This year, JTI invested RSD 1.561 billion in tobacco production through inputs, advances, fuel, long-term equipment, curing barns, greenhouses, and solar panels, while currently 43% of the total cultivated area is under irrigation systems. In 2025, Virginia tobacco was produced on a total of 2,391 hectares, with the highest-quality fields identified in Hrtkovci and Šid. These results further strengthened JTI’s leading position on the domestic market, with a 63% share in Virginia tobacco production and a 53% share in Burley production.

As for plans for 2026, the focus will be on further investments and innovations in production, with a particular emphasis on sustainable practices. In this context, JTI plans to further expand the use of solar panels on curing barns and continue investing in technologies that contribute to greater energy efficiency. Special attention in the coming period will also be given to sustainability innovations, including testing biochar production, which contributes to improved soil fertility and structure, better water retention, and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, pilot production of oriental tobacco is planned in Erdevik and Mali Pijaci to assess the potential of the domestic climate for this increasingly rare variety.

The annual meeting in Laćarak demonstrated that strong results are achieved when producers have a reliable partner, clear support, and conditions for investment, despite the challenges posed by weather conditions. The joint efforts of farmers and JTI experts enabled stable production and high-quality tobacco, with clear plans in place for the upcoming season.