The International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) said it is backing protests on four continents today against proposals before the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) that the ITGA says will strip tobacco growers of their livelihoods
ITGA Chief Executive Antonio Abrunhosa in a statement distributed by PR Newswire said growers are concerned about proposals that including limiting land used to cultivate tobacco and regulating growing seasons. Measures that would force growers into other crops regardless of the economic viability of those crops also are before the FCTC, according to ITGA.
Dozens of events under the rubric World Tobacco Growers’ Day are planned for 29 Oct, the ITGA said.
Delegates from 176 countries will hold the 5th meeting of the FCTC Conference of the Parties (COP5) in Seoul, Korea, from 12 Nov to discuss various tobacco control measures including recommendations on how member governments can steer tobacco farmers to alternative crops. (ci)