Star Agritech International (SAI), the sixth largest tobacco supplier in the world and the second largest reconstituted tobacco supplier worldwide, is deepening its collaboration with Tunisia, according to a company press release.

SAI has had a long relationship with the Tunisian tobacco monopolies (RNTA and MTK) since 2014. As a result of SAI’s growing relationships with the Tunisian monopolies, it established an operational office in Tunisia in 2017. It is noteworthy to point out that SAI is the only international leaf company with offices in Tunisia and on-site personnel able to cater to the needs of these two important monopolies in a highly responsive manner. SAI intends to further its cooperation with the Tunisian tobacco industry by providing agricultural assistance to grow international tobacco varieties (Virginia, Burley and Oriental types) in Tunisia. This project, once successful, will allow the tobacco industry in Tunisia to import less tobaccos from other countries and thereby contribute to import substitution and savings of foreign exchange. Other industrial projects are also under evaluation. According to Group Marketing Communications Manager Aylin Bahcevan, the agricultural and the industrial projects are planned for implementation over the next two years and should result in important job creation for young Tunisian graduates.