The tobacco industry in the country has been drastically transformed in recent years - from the production of classic cigarettes to a model that prioritizes innovations based on scientific knowledge and consumer needs. The innovative approach in this industry has great potential for development, but it must be shaped through science, partnership initiatives and responsible regulation, emphasized the participants of the panel discussion dedicated to tobacco and the tobacco industry "Beyond the Leaf: Innovation, Research and Regulation" held within the framework of the International Symposium on Agriculture and Food (ISAF 2025) in Ohrid.
The evolution of one of the most important agricultural branches in Macedonia is driven by strategic partnerships, such as the joint investment between Philip Morris International (PMI) and the Tobacco Plant Prilep (TKP), which lasts for ten years. Representatives of these companies, who were part of the panel, emphasized that since the signing of the joint agreement in 2014, Philip Morris Tutunski Kombinat Prilep (FMTKP) has expanded exports to 12 markets, including EU countries, achieved energy self-sufficiency and achieved record amounts in production. Tobacco remains a central resource in the transformation of PMI, which develops smoke-free alternatives for adult smokers who choose not to give up nicotine. In doing so, PMI's strategy focuses on the responsible development and promotion of smoke-free products as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes, with the long-term goal of creating a smoke-free future.
- The transformation of the industry boils down to something quite simple: changing a product can profoundly change the lives of a billion people on the planet. The company I work for today is very different from the company I joined 21 years ago. Ten years ago, we were a 100 percent combustible tobacco business. Today, about 40 percent of our business is smokeless tobacco products. Our ambition is that by 2030, two-thirds of our net revenue will come from smokeless products – said Ondrej Kumal, Director of External Affairs at Philip Morris International (PMI).
He stressed that cigarettes may one day go to museums, but that doesn't mean people will stop using tobacco or nicotine. What the company hopes to change are the public health outcomes due to the use of alternative products.
- We know that by eliminating combustion we can reduce the level of harmful substances, and with this reduction we can reduce the exposure to toxic substances for users. Therefore, it is expected that lower exposure to harmful substances will lead to a reduction in certain diseases over time – emphasized Kumal.
The International Symposium on Agriculture and Food, organized by the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences - Skopje, brought together experts from various fields in one place who presented new, fundamental achievements in the field of sustainable agriculture and food production.
