Japan Tobacco (JT) announced that the Leaf Tobacco Deliberative Council released its annual determinations for domestic leaf tobacco cultivation area and grower prices in 2010.
The council determined that in 2010 the cultivation area will be set at 15,300 hectares, down from 15,932 hectares in 2009. The leaf tobacco grower price will be lowered 2.16 per cent from the previous year and set at an average of JPY 1,869.28 (EUR 13.87) per kilogram for all leaf types. JT will proceed with operations in 2010 based on the council's determinations.
The Leaf Tobacco Deliberative Council is an eleven-member advisory body comprised of domestic grower represebtatives and independent experts, with the approval of the ministry of finance, that provides counsel to JT's president. (ci)