Executive Summary

Harvest to market sanitation practices are key in delivering a tobacco leaf product to market in a condition which qualifies for further utilisation in the manufacture of tobacco products. These guidelines outline appropriate practices which are focused on minimising or eliminating the possibility of Non Tobacco Related Materials (NTRM) entering the leaf supply chain.

The key philosophy as considered in the guidelines is the PDCA (Plan - Do - Check – Act) method which utilises information as a tool to drive continuous improvement. Conducting appropriate assessments at critical control points during the tobacco production process (defined as tobacco seedling production until delivery of product to customer) allows effective identification of root causes of NTRM and thereafter development of control strategies and practices.

The guidelines have been developed considering a generic model of tobacco production systems and will require adaptation considering local conditions. This document is designed to be complementary to the CORESTA Guide No. 3 Good Agricultural Practices, February 2005.