Agricultural Production



In order to produce quality tobacco and in sufficient quantity to meet customer needs, CTA-Continental develops numerous actions that identify its administrative vision focused on environmental issues, seeking to improve life quality of tobacco growers and their families.  
Using the most modern agricultural production techniques, with service based on respect, trust and friendship to the tobacco grower, CTA-Continental’s field staff provide technical assistance to tobacco farms according to tobacco grower and crop needs.
The company uses high technology seeds, internationally approved and not genetically modified, with traits of high productivity and disease resistance, thus making it possible to reduce the use of CPAs. For seedlings production, the utilized float system is easy to handle, substantially reducing agrochemical use and costs.
Recommendations are provided on technical orientations regarding maximum care with soil protection, through techniques such as no-tillage, minimum cultivation, soil cover, subsoiling, terracing, etc. The grower is advised to use pesticides only in the recommended amount and only when extremely necessary.

INTEGRATED SYSTEM
This system is based on the principle of mutuality, on technical-commercial partnership with tobacco growers, who contracted their tobacco crop with full-volume purchase guarantee. The company provides specialized Technical Assistance for crop production and for economic, social and environmental planning of the farm property. The company, in agreement with the Grower, also furnishes approved crop inputs with the required quality, thus guaranteeing the grower a technological package that meets the principles of Good Agricultural and Sustainability Practices. The Integrated Tobacco Production System (ITPS) has become a highlight in the Brazilian sector. Considered as one of the pillars of tobacco agribusiness, ITPS strives for sustainability in its economic, social and environmental essence, strengthening the entire production chain from grower to final user.

Among the advantages of ITPS, we can mention:
For growers:
•  Crop sale guarantee
•  Technical and financial assistance
•  Tobacco transportation 
For companies:
• Crop planning 
• Product quality and integrity
• Guaranteed supply of raw material
• Production sustainability 
For Clients:
• Regular supply 
• Grauanteed quality
• Assured ISO standards
• Product traceability

EMPTY CHEMICAL CONTAINER COLLECTION PROGRAM
This first-of-its-kind program has been conducted since the year 2000, through widely announced pre-defined itineraries, under the support of Afubra, 2.6 thousand collection points in the rural areas of 550 tobacco-growing municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina are visited on a yearly basis. In the State of Paraná, similar initiatives carried out by local centers rely on the support from the tobacco companies affiliated with SindiTabaco.Besides complying with Article 53 of Government Act 4,074, of 4th March 2002, which sets forth that “all users of agrochemicals and the like must return the empty containers, with their respective lids, to the shops that supplied them, in accordance with the instructions on the label, within a year of the time of purchase”, the program also allows for the collection of chemical containers utilized on crops other than tobacco.Packaging collection follows a previously-set schedule, widely announced in the media, as well as by the technical staff of the companies. The growers that join the program and deliver their triple-rinsed containers are given a receipt, later to be presented to the environment inspection authorities.

STP PROGRAM
CTA Continental is committed to maintaining the Sustainable Tobacco Program, meeting all of the requirements in the Pillars for Agricultural Production as well as Processing.

CULTIVAR Program
The CULTIVAR - Health and Safety on the Field Program, consists of an itinerant training program focused on transferring information, knowledge and new application technologies to our integrated farmers and their partners, throughout the 3 states of southern Brazil.
This CTA's initiative, was developed to pass on to the participants, theoretical and practical content, covering legislation, the correct use of personal protective equipments and defensive agents application devices, as well as their maintenance.

The main goals of the program are:
• Promote the health and safety of the rural worker 
• Present new agricultural defensive agents application technologies 
• To optimize activity results, reducing production costs and thus generating more profit 
• Diminish the activity's environmental risks, preserving the existing natural resources