ACKNOWLEDGINGTHEIMPORTANCE
The segment is seeking to keep and have its social and economic importance acknowledged throughout the Country, facing fre-
quent challenges related to regulatory restrictions, at global level orchestrated by the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. In
2016, the sector again emphasized its position in light of the 7th Conference of the Parties (COP 7) held in India, and equally exerting
pressure on the Brazilian government, where support was found recently, complemented by a visit of Blairo Maggi, Minister of Agri-
culture, Livestock and Food Supply (Mapa), to the production hub in Rio Grande do Sul.
One of the matters that is causing great concern is the ever-increasing illicit trade of cigarettes that come from Paraguay (now ac-
counting for 35% of total consumption), ill affecting the demand for legal cigarettes and, consequently, resulting into tax evasion.
Acquisition and consumption of illicit cigarettes generate income that finances other illicit activities, like drug and arms trafficking,
warns Carlos Galant, executive director at the Brazilian Association of Tobacco Industries (Abifumo). The entity believes and has it that
it is possible to curb the sales of contraband cigarettes “through a balanced and coherent tax policy, whilst monitoring the borders of
the Country, where there is need to increase and encourage security forces”.
The majority of the tobacco farmers in
the Southern Region belong to classes A and B
Iro Schünke, president of the Interstate To-
bacco Industry Union (SindiTabaco).
Brazil’s tobacco crop is complement-
ed with traditional planting, since the dis-
covery of the Country, in the northeast-
ern region, andmainly destined for cigars,
and 95% is equally exported. According to
the Tobacco Industry Union in Bahia (Sin-
ditabaco-BA), the sector used to be more
expressive in the region, but it still gen-
erates 4 thousand direct jobs and anoth-
er 10 thousand indirect ones. According
to a survey conducted by Afubra, the oth-
er Brazilian states had 14 thousand tobac-
co growing families in the 2015/16 grow-
ing season. Along with the families in the
South (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina
and Paraná), there are 158 thousand fam-
ilies involved with tobacco farming in the
Country, representing 633 thousand jobs
in the rural setting.
101
13-7715
BR 471 - Km 161 - Rincão
Del Rey - Rio Pardo/ RS
Afubra
Expoagro
A maior feira do Brasil voltada à agricultura familiar.
21, 22 e 23
de março
2017
ENTRADA GRATUITA
FETAG-RS
SECRETARIADODESENVOLVIMENTO
RURAL,PESCAECOOPERATIVISMO
