Madrid, February 21, 2017 – JTI (Japan Tobacco International) will continue to purchase tobacco leaf from Extremadura. Minister Isabel García Tejerina (MAPAMA) and Vassilis Vovos, JTI’s President for the Western Europe region, signed a new agreement for a period of three years in the presence of the President of Extremadura, Guillermo Fernández Vara, during a ceremony which took place today in the headquarters of the Ministry in Madrid.
The Tobacco sector sustains more than 61,000 direct and indirect jobs in Spain, and is a strategic crop for the region of Extremadura where it represents a source of income for more than 20,000 families.
"This Memorandum of Understanding reaffirms our long term support to the innovative local tobacco growing sector and the quality of the leaf which meets our worldwide standards", said Vassilis Vovos during the signing ceremony.
JTI owns the largest tobacco manufacturing plant in Spain where it produces its global brands Camel and Winston. The company employs more than 750 professionals in its state-of-the-art factory and commercial offices. JTI’s leading HR practices are widely recognized and the Company recently won the Top Employer 2017 award for Spain as well as for Europe.
JTI is committed to the local communities where it operates and in Spain, the Company supports social and cultural projects through partnerships with Prado Museum and Teatro Real among others.