Uganda becomes key tobacco producer

(observer.ug) Uganda is becoming a key tobacco growing country six years after British America Tobacco Uganda (BATU) decided to concentrate on growing the leaf and leaving the production of cigarettes to its Kenyan operations.
BAT has already made Uganda the key location for its leaf operations. The company relocated its regional headquarters for Leaf Operations in Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA), from South Africa to Uganda.
From just one country with only 30,000 farmers, Uganda will now oversee 11 countries, three continents, 1,038 employees and 100,000 farmers. According to Alain Schacher, BATU’s Managing Director, who is also EEMEA Regional Leaf Supply Manager, the choice was between Uganda and Zimbabwe, another key source. Continued