Construction of tobacco factory nears completion

 Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has hailed Philip Morris Tanzania Limited for building a tobacco factory here.

Reports say the construction will completed by the end of next month.

Philip Morris Tanzania Limited, which has been buying tobacco from the country, started building the factory two years ago at Kingolwira in the municipality.

During the construction stage, the company created over 2,100 jobs — 200 of them being directly and the rest indirectly.

Tobacco is the main source of income for about 70,000 farmers, mostly smallholders.

Mr Majaliwa described the development as a commendable support to the government’s industrialisation drive. “I have been reliably informed that Philip Morris has been buying Tanzania’s tobacco for many years. The move to put up a new factory supports the government’s industrialisation vision,” said Mr Majaliwa at the weekend.

He said the factory would enable farmers to benefit from their hard work. “For a long time farmers have been calling on the government to increase tobacco prices. Philip Morris’s construction of the factory will help solve the challenge. With its factory here, the company will obviously increase the amount of tobacco it has been buying and apparently prices will as well increase.”

Industry, Trade and Investment minister Charles Mwijage called upon Morogoro residents to take full advantage of the factory to help solve the challenge of unemployment. Philip Morris Tanzania finance director Can Uslu said a friendly business environment attract the company to construct the factory. Uslu added that the company would also embark on a strong corporate social responsibility programs in education, health and sanitation in the community surrounding the plant.

Minister Kassim Majaliwa has hailed Philip Morris Tanzania Limited for building a tobacco factory here amid reports that actual construction of the facility will complete by the end of next month.

Philip Morris Tanzania Limited, which has been buying tobacco from the country, started building a factory to process the products locally two years ago.

During the construction stage, the company created over 100 jobs directly and over 2,000 more jobs indirectly.

Tobacco is the main source of income for about 70,000 farmers, mostly smallholders.

Speaking during a tour of the factory construction site at Kingolwira area in Morogoro Municipality at the weekend, Mr Majaliwa described the development as as commendable support to the government’s industrialization drive.

“I have been reliably informed that Philip Morris has been a buyer of Tanzania’s tobacco for many years and thus the move to put up a new factory supports the government’s industrialization vision,” said Majaliwa.

He said the factory gives farmers the time to benefit from their hard work.

“For a long time farmers have been calling on the government to increase the price of their produce and now what Philip Morris has done to construct a factory here, it will help solve the challenge. With a factory here, the company will obviously increase the amount of tobacco they have been buying and apparently, prices will as well increase,” he said.

In his remarks, the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Charles Mwijage, called upon Morogoro residents to take full advantage of the factory which will help solve the challenge of unemployment in the area.

On his part, Philip Morris Tanzania Limited Director of Finance Can Uslu said the decision by the company to construct a factory in the country is a result of a friendly business environment, potential economic growth and a sound industrialization policy within the government.

Uslu added that the company will also embark on a strong corporate social responsibility program in areas like education and also help ensure the surrounding community has access to safe and clean water.