[Intl-tobacco] TFK report on costs of tobacco farming in developing countries

[Robert Weissman]

For Immediate Release
December 18, 2001

Contact: Ross Hammond
1-415-695-7492

NEW REPORT DETAILS ECONOMIC, SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF TOBACCO
FARMING
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Washington, D.C. (December 18, 2001) - A new report released by the
Campaign
for Tobacco Free Kids examines the economic, social and environmental
costs
of tobacco farming. “Golden Leaf, Barren Harvest: The Costs of Tobacco
Farming” makes the case that the rapid growth of tobacco farming in the
developing world encouraged and facilitated by the tobacco industry has
not
brought with it the promised economic benefits. Indeed, the Report finds

that the rapid spread of tobacco farming in developing countries has
brought
with it a host of environmental, health and social problems. It has also

caused over production in the global tobacco market, that contributes to
the
profitability of the manufacturers but undermines the economic
well-being of
farmers as more and more farmers compete with each other to sell tobacco

leaf to the companies at lower and lower prices.

The Report draws primarily on tobacco industry sources. While a few
large-scale tobacco growers have prospered, the vast majority of tobacco

growers in the developing world barely eke out a living while toiling
for
the companies. Many tobacco farmers are now stuck producing a crop that
is
labor and input intensive and causes a myriad of health and
environmental
dangers. The Report details the many serious economic and environmental
costs associated with tobacco cultivation that the tobacco companies
have
tried to gloss over. These include:

·       Chronic indebtedness among tobacco farmers (usually to the
companies
themselves).
·       The diversion of land previously used for growing food to grow
tobacco.
·       New technologies employed by the companies which reduce the
amount of
tobacco used per cigarette.
·       Manipulation by the tobacco companies of the grading system
which has led
to lower prices for farmers.
·       Serious environmental destruction caused by tobacco farming,
particularly
the massive deforestation caused by tobacco curing.
·       An increase in pesticide-related health problems for farmers and
their
families.

The Report also details the tobacco industry’s efforts to manipulate the

plight of tobacco farmers for their own gain through the use of front
groups
and their current efforts to undermine the global tobacco control treaty

currently being negotiated under the auspices of the World Health
Organization. As the Report shows, even with global demand for tobacco
leaf
growing, the inescapable problems with tobacco farming make it a losing
investment for most countries and farmers.

The report is available on the web at:
http://tobaccofreekids.org/campaign/global/FCTCreport1.pdf.
Copies can also be obtained by writing to Monica Flores at
<mflores@TobaccoFreeKids.org>