What's a fair Price for a Farmie?

[El Presidente]

EAR = email assistance required. 

I will kick this one across to you guys as a fair few of you have been there over the past month or so. 

 

"there are two of us heading to Pinar SL and then to Las Tunas region for another week. I doubt farm rolls will have gone up in price but what should I expect to pay for a conanazo/sublime  sized cigar? Can you let me know what a fair price is given everything that is going on? Do you expect farm rolls to go up a similar price to official Habanos cigars. Thanks for your time Rob"

 

[Rhinoww]

Seems to me this is a basic supply/demand/market tolerance question. Given the, um (insert tantie) market volatility by HABANOS SA  I might wager the farm roll prices would be up, considerably given costs elsewhere. Seems things might eventually settle but I’d plan on higher farm roll prices for a while, at least for quality particularly in larger harder to find Vitolas. 
But that’s me. I won’t be going to Cuba for many years now. Seems my cigar coin will be heading to Australia. 

[Corylax18]

30 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

EAR = email assistance required. 

I will kick this one across to you guys as a fair few of you have been there over the past month or so. 

 

"there are two of us heading to Pinar SL and then to Las Tunas region for another week. I doubt farm rolls will have gone up in price but what should I expect to pay for a conanazo/sublime  sized cigar? Can you let me know what a fair price is given everything that is going on? Do you expect farm rolls to go up a similar price to official Habanos cigars. Thanks for your time Rob"

 

I have lots of Farm/Custom Rolls schedule for pick up in about a week. The prices are pretty much the same as they where in March of this year, those prices where more or less the same as what they had been in the past. The most popular farms may charge up to $10 for a canonazo size or similar, at the low end you might be able to find them for closer to $5. I would be cautious buying farm rolls in the Las Tunas area. I've only been out that way once before, but the area isn't exactly known for its export grade leaf. I have heard of people finding some gems in the International terminal at the Holguin airport though. 

11 minutes ago, Rhinoww said:

Seems to me this is a basic supply/demand/market tolerance question. Given the, um (insert tantie) market volatility by HABANOS SA  I might wager the farm roll prices would be up, considerably given costs elsewhere. Seems things might eventually settle but I’d plan on higher farm roll prices for a while, at least for quality particularly in larger harder to find Vitolas. 
But that’s me. I won’t be going to Cuba for many years now. Seems my cigar coin will be heading to Australia. 

Not yet. A couple larger vitolas went up by a buck a stick, but most things stayed the same. Weather from factories in Havana or Farms in PdR the ceiling is still at $10 a stick. Most Vitolas are 4-6. Pyramides Extra's went from $7 in March to $8 now. Double Robustos from 6 to 7 Julieta No 2s at $7-$9 a stick. Ive ordered customs from a few shops as well, but I don't know those prices yet. I would expect those prices to rise the most, the fastest. 

I don't expect these type of cigars to double, triple, quadruple over the next 6 months either. I do expect more increases, but nothing as hair brained as what we've seen recently. When you make the Equivalent of $250-$350 a YEAR, someone dropping nearly $1000 on a box of PC's is absolutely unfathomable. The shops in Havana will get those people first and make their adjustments first, but it will take a lot more time to filter out through the entire black market. 

[Rhinoww]

10 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

 

I don't expect these type of cigars to double, triple, quadruple over the next 6 months either. I do expect more increases, but nothing as hair brained as what we've seen recently. When you make the Equivalent of $250-$350 a YEAR, someone dropping nearly $1000 on a box of PC's is absolutely unfathomable. The shops in Havana will get those people first and make their adjustments first, but it will take a lot more time to filter out through the entire black market. 

This will be the most interesting thing to watch. I wonder if the cigar tourists will turn into exclusively farm roll tourists. If demand goes up, one would think prices would as well. If not, opportunities await for those willing to go further off the beaten trail. I would also have to wonder if some Farm will start to make more of their ways off he island if a consistent product can be delivered. 

[Corylax18]

14 minutes ago, Rhinoww said:

This will be the most interesting thing to watch

It will.

14 minutes ago, Rhinoww said:

I wonder if the cigar tourists will turn into exclusively farm roll tourists.

I've been on that road since my first visit in 2016 and the recent increases where the swift kick in the ass that pushed me off the ledge. I dont have a dime in budget earmarked for regular cigars, its all going to customs and farm rolls. 

16 minutes ago, Rhinoww said:

If demand goes up, one would think prices would as well. If not, opportunities await for those willing to go further off the beaten trail.

This is the Rub. I love an adventure, like real adventures. 10 days Hunting/Camping in sub zero temps at 11,000' elevation, climbing the highest peak in Cuba in 94f/60% humidity weather, Scuba diving in a town that gets 4 hours of electricity a day, 5 hours drive from Havana. Stuff most people just dont want to deal with. 

A trip out to PdR takes an entire day. The road sucks, its always hot, the facilities are very basic. If you dont enjoy that type of thing, its a lot of work for a few bundles of cigars. 

I do see the demand for these cigars increasing, but not through the typical tourist channels. (more on this below) Most guys grabbing a handful of boxes during a week/10 trip to an all inclusive in Varadero just dont want to put up with the hassle required to go out to a farm. 

22 minutes ago, Rhinoww said:

I would also have to wonder if some Farm will start to make more of their ways off he island if a consistent product can be delivered.

This has already been happening for years, on a massive, commercial, scale. 10s of thousands of sticks a year, maybe 100s. Pouring out the backdoor of factories and front door of farms into a well established network of people that get them off the island and sold at a hefty premium odd the island. Most of these sticks come into the US and stay here, but a small percentage make their way to other countries as well. I'm fascinated by this whole process and I cant wait to see how it changes/grows in response to what will definitely be a spike in demand. Don't expect "branded" farm rolls as that would be a massive violation of Cuban Law, but the "backdoor" stuff is a well established and accepted part of the process down there. 

[Bill Hayes]

Maybe an updated list of farm rollers in the Visiting Cuba section would be good, seeing as a few of the more popular rollers have moved. Just a thought. Cheers

[PuroDiario]

9 hours ago, Bill Hayes said:

Maybe an updated list of farm rollers in the Visiting Cuba section would be good, seeing as a few of the more popular rollers have moved. Just a thought. Cheers

Second this idea