Tobacco.org

Imperial not ready to quit as China helps growth rebound  

Smokers sucking up price hikes to stay loyal to their favourite brands, and more Chinese smoking cigars, helped Imperial Tobacco post a surprise jump in revenues that sent its shares soaring today.

The maker of Lambert & Butler cigarettes saw a return to sales growth in the first three months of 2012 with revenues ahead by 8%. That acceleration saw its total revenues for the half year to April rise 3.3% to £3.4 billion.

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Zimbabwe tobacco farmers hail support from Chinese firm 

Zimbabwe's contracted tobacco farmers commended Chinese firm, Tianze Tobacco Company, for its continued support of tobacco growing in the southern African country, which led to an increase in production output of the golden leaf this season, state radio reported on Tuesday.

Out of the 13 tobacco contracting companies which are operating this season in Zimbabwe, Tianze Tobacco Company, which contracts more than 250 growers, continues to lead in both the seasonal and daily average prices.

Farmers contracted to the company hailed the support they received, saying the inputs and financial support have boosted the production of the golden leaf tremendously.

We applauded the way Tianze is operating as well as the favorable prices that it is offering, though we feel they should now increase their prices," a tobacco farmer told ZBC News.

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AUDIO: Zimbabwe Tobacco Farmers Hail Support from Chinese Firm 

Research and Markets: Analyzing the Tobacco Industry in China Report - Chinese National Tobacco have Nearly 99% of Market Share 

• China to ban gigarettes with more than 11 milligrams of tar 

China will ban the sale and import of cigarettes containing more than 11 milligrams of tar from next year as the government seeks to reduce the health-care costs associated with smoking.

The ban is effective from Jan 1, 2013, according to a statement by the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration that was posted today to the central government's website. China set the limit for tar per cigarette at 17 milligrams in 2001 and gradually cut it to 12 milligrams by 2011 to make smoking "less harmful," according to the regulator.

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Lung Cancer Though You Don't Smoke? Yes! Decrease Your Risk: Aspirin Study  

Uproar in China over Tobacco Company’s Nomination for Science Prize 

• New Program to Curb China's 12m Female Smokers 

The Chinese Association on Tobacco Control launched a new program on Tuesday which will be the first tobacco control program to involve influential women, the hope being that they will serve as role models for female smokers, Beijing News reports.

The population of female smokers has surpassed 12 million, with a total of 300 million smokers in China. 71.6 percent of females are affected by second-hand smoke, and 90 percent of those involved are affected in the home.

Elite women from all walks of life have joined the program and are combating smoking together, including former world record holder in the women's high jump Zheng Fengrong, Women's World Chess Champion Xie Jun and renowned actress Liang Danni.

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AUDIO: Consumer association criticizes gov't tobacco prize 

JUKES: Tobacco marketing neither light nor mild 

• China Tobacco sued over 800-day delay in stock deal decision 

The state-owned China Tobacco has been at the center of a trade dispute for rejecting a stock transaction between its subsidiary Hongta Group and an individual investor nearly 800 days after the deal was signed, reports the 21st Century Business Herald in Guangzhou.

The Yunnan High People's Court on Monday began hearing the suit filed by the investor, Chen Fashu, against Hongta.

The plaintiff said he had signed an agreement with Hongta on Sept. 10, 2009 to buy 65.81 million shares in the Yunnan Baiyao Group for 2.2 billion yuan (US$350 million). The group produces a traditional Chinese medicine which stems bleeding.

Under the agreement, the deal would come into force only after being approved by Hongta's parent company, China Tobacco.

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• Tobacco bureau chief held over graft  

Police have detained the head of Henan's tobacco authority as part of an ongoing corruption probe.

Zheng Jianmin, director of the provincial tobacco monopoly bureau, has been at the center of an investigation since mid-March due to "economic problems", a source inside the bureau told China Daily.

A special supervision team from the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration has arrived to lead the investigation, and all officials above county level are required to keep their cell phones switched on for 24 hours a day, the source said on condition of anonymity.

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• Farmers set to turn new leaf as they shun tobacco 

In return for toiling in the fields from April to October, Gu said he made on average 16,000 yuan ($2,500) a year, which was "not enough compared with the effort involved".

To make matters worse, it has also become difficult to recruit pickers during harvest seasons.

"Young men in our village are reluctant to do farm work, even though I offered more than 100 yuan a day during busy periods, which last about a month," the farmer Gu said. "Most would rather go to urban areas for easier jobs."

He now plans to grow corn, which has seen a steady rise in price due to the growing demand for pig fodder.

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• Fury at Beijing's 'cigarettes with Chinese characteristics' 

The Chinese government seems to be in deep maodun where tobacco control is concerned. It monopolizes cigarette production and tobacco control. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is the central government body designated with these tasks. It is the man in Han Feizi's fable trying to sell spears and shields.

The government signed the World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003, and it was ratified by the National People's Congress in 2005. Hence, China is obliged to impose tobacco controls.

Indeed, the government seems to have since made some efforts, gradually, in tobacco control. Cigarette advertising is banned from mass media; cigarette producers are required to print health warnings on their packs and smoking indoors is banned in public places. However, critics say the progress is going at snail's pace and that even these inadequate measures are not strictly enforced.

These critics were likely angered when, on March 23, the Ministry of Science and Technology publicized the nominations for this year's National Science and Technology Awards - one of China's most prestigious prizes. . . .

Now there are suggestions that as an initial step to effectively impose tobacco controls, the power to impose controls should be separated from the STMA and delegated to another department, such as the Ministry of Health. But this is easier said than done as vast vested interests are involved in the tobacco industry, so any change to the current structure is bound to meet stronger resistance.

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Dubai Duty Free to boost Chinese staff again in 2012 

Cigarette brands from China represent around fourteen percent of DDF’s entire tobacco sales, with top-selling label Chungwa alone accounting for one tenth. The brand, DDF’s bestselling item, brought in revenues of AED15.9m in the first half of 2011.

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