Strong tobacco yield achieved despite challenging weather conditions

Representatives of the Tobacco Administration and Phytosanitary Inspection visited tobacco producers in the villages of Kuzmin and Bingula

Tobacco producers, Serdar Stevica, Ivan Vladisavljević, and Vladimir Lovas from the villages of Kuzmin and Bingula, hosted the Director of the Tobacco Administration, Slobodan Erdelja, representatives from the Tobacco Administration and Phytosanitary Inspection, as well as Japan Tobacco International (JTI), a company with whom these producers have had long-term cooperation.

During the visit, discussions focused on tobacco production, weather conditions, the application of agrotechnical measures, and other current topics. This year, JTI, as the only company growing and purchasing domestic tobacco, accounted for 65% of tobacco production in the country. The company contracted production across approximately 2,300 hectares, in cooperation with 350 growers.

Ivan Vladisavljević, a producer growing the Virginia tobacco variety, highlighted the challenges faced this year. “Virginia is known for requiring specific growing conditions, and the extremely high temperatures in July and August could have seriously compromised leaf quality. However, thanks to advice from JTI agronomists, we managed to adapt, allowing us to achieve a satisfactory yield despite unfavourable weather conditions.” He added that although the season could have been more favourable, he was able to preserve a significant portion of the yield. Vladisavljević concluded that the collaboration with JTI is not only technical but also a true partnership, where every piece of advice directly impacts the success of the season and the long-term sustainability of production.

“JTI continuously invests significant resources in the development and improvement of its cooperation with tobacco producers. Together with the growers, we work on raising standards regarding quality and yield,” emphasized Milan Bjelivuk, Tobacco Production Manager at JTI. He added that JTI not only provides expert advice at all stages of production but also offers a wide range of support. “JTI ensures interest-free advances for the purchase of necessary equipment, such as dryers and irrigation systems, facilitating modernization and increasing production efficiency,” explained Bjelivuk.