2015/2016 Tobacco Crop Update.


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The news is in and what you will get from our friends at HSA is that "all is good" rolleyes.gif

Officially 26000 hectares were planted. Unofficially it was more like 17000 hectares. Don't ask me about the discrepancy as I have no idea. The latter figure comes from the farmers. Take a middle ground on the number.

2000 hectares were completely lost to rain during the period. let's say approximately 10% of the crop. Quality looks good outside of that from what I am told but it is still a tad early to declare it.

Farmers who lost crop will be compensated. I am not sure that has happened before.

A second crop has already been planted or planned to be planted in March (by some farmers with the support of Tabacuba). Risky business given the incresing heat. Still if it doesn't work out I am quite sure it will be used for Cigarette tobacco.

The romance of Cuban Tobacco agriculture is that only one crop a year is planted permitting enough time for the soil to replenish. I do know of some premium growers who plant a second crop for the cigarette industry regularly (hey it is money), but each of them have underground/river/creek water supply. You can't do it without a water supply.

Could have been worse. Not ideal.

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Reassuring information that '15 and '16 are not total washouts. I wonder if there will be a correlation between the surplus rain and cigars that are not on par with recent years.

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A second crop has already been planted or planned to be planted in March (by some farmers with the support of Tabacuba). Risky business given the incresing heat. Still if it doesn't work out I am quite sure it will be used for Cigarette tobacco.

The romance of Cuban Tobacco agriculture is that only one crop a year is planted permitting enough time for the soil to replenish.

Thanks for the very informative update Rob. Question for me would not just be whether a risky second crop would "work out", technically so to speak. But much more so, in as how much such operation would affect tobacco quality. I wonder, a very different temperature (and irrigation) regime would certainly have an effect on nicotine levels and on overall sensory properties of that "replacement" crop. There must be some earlier examples in history on that. Any one in the know?

Edit: Perhaps, even if it works out it will be used for cigarettes et al., but not for premium sticks...

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Much better news than what was just recently reported elsewhere by someone many of us know and trust. That report said the first planting was a complete wash, but was able to be pulled in time to replant. Then the replant supposedly developed spotting that forced it to be pulled early to salvage some of the smaller leaf. Rob's report is much more promising.

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