| Tobacco Everywhere | | | | country. In the 60's, a Cuban seed was introduced and |
| For making cigars, tobacco is grown all around the | | | | the resulting tobacco (Piloto Cubano) became famous |
| world, from Poland to South Africa, from Argentina to | | | | as a good substitute of the Cuban tobacco that was |
| Canada and, westbound, from Philippines to Mexico. | | | | no longer allowed to enter the USA. Exiled Cubans did |
| But cigar tobaccos are mainly grown in the intertropical | | | | a great job there. Piloto Cubano is a full bodied |
| areas. | | | | tobacco but, maybe, is missing some aroma. Blended |
| | | | with Olor dominicano type, more aromatic, Piloto |
| Tobacco is known as a plant originally from America. | | | | Cubano makes the 100% dominican cigar a very |
| Some species were identified in South Pacific. There | | | | decent cigar. Both Dominican types are good |
| are many species and varieties. Not all of them are | | | | components for multi-origin blends. |
| used in smoking products. Many are grown as | | | | East Mediterranean Countries |
| ornamental plants as they are frequently blooming, | | | | The Eastern countries of the Mediterranean Sea are |
| showing colors from white to dark red and purple. | | | | devoted to the culture of Oriental type tobacco, which |
| Here are some of the countries in which tobacco is | | | | is sun-cured. Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria are the main |
| grown, to produce your cigars. | | | | producers, but Lebanon, Syria, Macedonia, and |
| Argentina | | | | Romania are also growing. This tobacco has tiny |
| Argentina grows dark air-cured tobacco in the | | | | leaves, which are sometimes only 2 inches long. The |
| provinces of Misiones and Corrientes, and flue cured | | | | sun curing gives them a yellowish color and high sugar |
| tobacco in the area of Salta. Misiones has also a | | | | content. Aroma is generally rich and a small proportion |
| production of Burley type. These tobaccos are mainly | | | | of oriental tobacco in a blend brings a lot in the taste. |
| for cigarettes but Corrientes is appreciated for short | | | | This tobacco is not used for long filler cigars, but only in |
| filler cigars because of its smooth taste. Argentina | | | | short filler cigars and cigarettes. |
| used to be a big producer and exporter but changes in | | | | Ecuador |
| the economic and income tax policies have seriously | | | | Ecuador is the perfect place to grow wrappers, |
| damaged the production, making the tobacco too | | | | because it is located on the Equator! And it has rich |
| expensive to be competitive on the international | | | | soils too. The weather conditions, with a nearly |
| market. Consequently, production volumes have | | | | permanent cloudy sky, provide a natural shade, |
| decreased. | | | | protecting the wrapper plants from sunshine and |
| Brazil | | | | allowing the tobacco to grow thin and light. Ecuador |
| Brazil is one of the largest world's tobacco producers. | | | | supplies Connecticut and Sumatra type wrappers to |
| The East Central State of Bahia is an important cigar | | | | many cigar factory in the world. |
| tobacco growing area, about 100 miles west of the | | | | Honduras |
| state capital, Salvador da Bahia, an active port on the | | | | Honduras has built up a good reputation in making |
| Atlantic Coast. The Northern State of Alagoas hosts a | | | | premium cigars. The country is a rather small tobacco |
| production around the city of Arapiraca where maduro | | | | producer and the cigars are mainly made out of |
| cigar wrappers are grown. The Southern states of Rio | | | | imported leaves. However, Honduras has a pretty |
| Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina produce tobacco | | | | good potential for growing tobacco, especially |
| for cigarettes and pipe. | | | | wrappers, and could become a major player in the |
| Cameroon | | | | future. |
| Cameroon cigar wrappers are grown in the East part | | | | Indonesia |
| of the country. The growing area spreads over the | | | | Tobacco is grown in many islands of the Archipelago |
| eastern border, into the Central African Republic. | | | | but, as far as cigars are concerned, Sumatra and Java |
| Wrappers are air grown, without fertilizers and | | | | are the ones. Sumatra Wrappers are known |
| pesticides, by small farmers. The average plantation | | | | worldwide. Central Java (Vorstenland) and East Java |
| size is about one acre. The seed is originally from | | | | (Besuki) produce fillers and wrappers in abundance. |
| Sumatra, introduced in the country just after WWII. | | | | Indonesia is a key country for cigar tobacco. |
| Grown first for French Monopoly needs, the tobacco | | | | Mexico |
| was offered on the international market when | | | | Dark air cured tobaccos are produced in Mexico, |
| production was too large for this single use. Well | | | | mainly in Vera Cruz and Tampico provinces, on the |
| appreciated by European manufacturers and large | | | | East Coast along the Golf. There is also some |
| American cigars companies, Cameroon wrapper | | | | production in Yucatan. Previously a state-owned |
| production dropped down during the late 1980s, due to | | | | operation, it is now handled by private individuals and |
| poor management. Today, quantities are small and | | | | cooperatives. Mexican tobacco is very dark and the |
| quality could be better. | | | | best leaves can be used as maduro wrappers. In San |
| China | | | | Andres de Tuxtla (Vera Cruz), there is a very |
| China is by far the biggest tobacco producer, with | | | | interesting production of Sumatra seed wrappers. |
| approximately 5 millions metric tons. USA follows with | | | | Philippines |
| about 1 million metric tons. Chinese tobacco is a | | | | In Philippines, tobacco growing is concentrated in the |
| flue-cured type, not aromatic and a bit sharp in taste. | | | | Northern part of the main island of Luzon. Traditionally, |
| This tobacco is not suitable for cigars. It is mainly used | | | | dark tobacco for cigars was grown and Philippines' |
| for local cigarette consumption. A small quantity is | | | | cigars were very famous, under the powerful |
| exported. Cigarette industries import the tobacco and | | | | Compania General de Tabaccos de Filipinas. They |
| use it as a neutral and cheap filler. | | | | probably declined because they were too mild. Today, |
| Connecticut, USA | | | | Philippines still grows dark tobacco and has developed |
| The Connecticut Valley, in the Northeast of the USA, is | | | | a production of flue-cured tobacco for blond cigarettes. |
| well known for its bright yellow cigar wrapper. | | | | Zimbabwe |
| Because of a very hot and sunny summer, the | | | | Zimbabwe is among the top three countries for high |
| tobacco is shade grown. Whoever has flown over | | | | quality flue cured tobacco (with the USA and Brazil). |
| Hartford, CT, seated next to the window, could not fail | | | | The embargo that hit the country, when it was still |
| to have seen the huge white acreage of land standing | | | | Rhodesia, did not hurt the production. It made the |
| all around: the tobacco fields covered with white | | | | Rhodesians more inventive and they went on |
| clothes to protect the plants from the direct sun | | | | producing. At this time, Zambia and Tanzania, the |
| radiation. And the huge barns, large like cathedrals, | | | | neighboring countries were selling a lot! When the |
| ready for the flue curing. Impressive! | | | | embargo was lifted in 1980 allowing us to deal directly, |
| Cuba | | | | we discovered a fascinating organization and |
| Tobacco grows all across Cuba. Your premium cigar | | | | equipment, the best in the world. Tobacco was the top |
| has been made, I hope, out of tobacco coming from | | | | activity of the country and getting a job in tobacco |
| the West province of Vuelta Abajo, where a really | | | | was a challenge for many young men. The actual |
| good material is harvested. In Central and East Cuba, | | | | Zimbabwean agrarian policy , which we won't discuss |
| the provinces of Remedios and Oriente yield tobacco | | | | here, will probably strike this country off the list of |
| that is not supposed to be acceptable for what | | | | tobacco producers. Cigar industry will not suffer as |
| everybody calls a Havana! | | | | flue-cured tobaccos are mainly concerned. Brazil |
| Dominican Republic | | | | should be the major beneficiary of this situation. |
| Dominican Republic is a traditional tobacco-growing | | | | |