El Presidente Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 https://www.plenglish.com/news/2023/05/03/cuban-tobacco-growers-reinvest-income-to-buy-tractors/ Cuban tobacco growers reinvest income to buy tractors Havana, May 3 (Prensa Latina) Tobacco producers of the famous Havana cigars announced today the reinvestment of their income in the purchase of tractors in order to boost the campaign of that important economic sector in Cuba. May 3, 2023 CDT10:12 (GMT) -0400 Published by: Javier Arana Villasusa The news was published in Wednesday’s edition of the Granma newspaper, in which reference is made to the acquisition, in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Río, of 270 tractors this year. The report points out that thanks to a financing scheme through which they receive part of the payment for their harvests in foreign currency, the farmers are able to acquire these type of machines. During the delivery of the first batch of 45 of these tractors in Pinar del Río, a territory that provides between 60 and 70 percent of the tobacco harvested in the country, the president of the Tabacuba Business Group, Marino Murillo, stressed the importance of the event. Another batch of more than 20 tractors was transferred to the provinces of Sancti Spíritus, Villa Clara and Cienfuegos. The president of Tabacuba highlighted the willingness of Pinar del Río’s farmers to carry out the campaign, despite the enormous damage caused by Hurricane Ian on September 27, a few days before the beginning of the planting season. 2 1
MrBirdman Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 That’s great. Let’s just hope they can find the gas to run them.
Corylax18 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 38 minutes ago, MrBirdman said: That’s great. Let’s just hope they can find the gas to run them. Or the the drying barns to process the tobacco. The original article from Granma says only 5,000 of the 10,000 barns destroyed by the Hurricane have been rebuilt. 2
El Presidente Posted May 3, 2023 Author Posted May 3, 2023 8 minutes ago, Corylax18 said: The original article from Granma says only 5,000 of the 10,000 barns destroyed by the Hurricane have been rebuilt. I suspect that is all they are going to need if they keep production numbers to half 2018/19. 1
SCgarman Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 6 minutes ago, El Presidente said: I suspect that is all they are going to need if they keep production numbers to half 2018/19. How many million cigars were made in '18/'19?
NSXCIGAR Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 8 minutes ago, SCgarman said: How many million cigars were made in '18/'19? About 80 million for export. Interestingly while they have released gross revenue figures for 2022 I can't find any information about units exported.
El Presidente Posted May 3, 2023 Author Posted May 3, 2023 9 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said: About 80 million for export. Interestingly while they have released gross revenue figures for 2022 I can't find any information about units exported. I can't place my finger on it but only recently I saw 54 or 59 million as their goal for this year. To maintain scarcity, 50 million wouldn't be that far off. Not enough to replenish global shelves or distributor warehouses, yet enough for record profits. 1 1
Corylax18 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 22 minutes ago, El Presidente said: I suspect that is all they are going to need if they keep production numbers to half 2018/19. # of cigars rolled and Tons of tobacco grown are disconnected by at least 3 years though. If they plant anywhere near the 19,000 hectares they say they're planning for in the article they're going to need a lot more barns that they have now. They didn't have enough barns to dry the 5,300 hectares that where planted very late and generated far less tobacco per hectare than normal year. We know Granma is very optimistic with their numbers too, so I have a feeling the deficit is even larger than they're letting on.
eg133 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 Did I read this correctly? It was the farmers that had to use their profits to buy these tractors and not Tabacuba or Habanos?!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
El Presidente Posted May 3, 2023 Author Posted May 3, 2023 1 minute ago, eg133 said: Did I read this correctly? It was the farmers that had to use their profits to buy these tractors and not Tabacuba or Habanos?! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk It was Tabacuba 2
eg133 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 Oh good! I was about to throw a tanty hahahSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1
El Presidente Posted May 3, 2023 Author Posted May 3, 2023 5 minutes ago, Corylax18 said: # of cigars rolled and Tons of tobacco grown are disconnected by at least 3 years though. If they plant anywhere near the 19,000 hectares they say they're planning for in the article they're going to need a lot more barns that they have now. They didn't have enough barns to dry the 5,300 hectares that where planted very late and generated far less tobacco per hectare than normal year. We know Granma is very optimistic with their numbers too, so I have a feeling the deficit is even larger than they're letting on. Granma is nothing if not amusing Under this regime, I don't see them planting 19000 hectares of cigar tobacco ever again. 1 1
Corylax18 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 2 minutes ago, El Presidente said: Granma is nothing if not amusing Under this regime, I don't see them planting 19000 hectares of cigar tobacco ever again. Haha. It is indeed. Hell, even if they hit 10,000 or 12,000 hectares, its going to be a tight squeeze with the existing infrastructure. But, we're putting the cart in front of the horse by assuming they'll find/save enough fuel by this October to actually run these tractors, or truck in fertilizer or truck out the bales of tobacco that weren't destroyed last year, etc. What a mess.
SCgarman Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 7 minutes ago, Corylax18 said: Haha. It is indeed. Hell, even if they hit 10,000 or 12,000 hectares, its going to be a tight squeeze with the existing infrastructure. But, we're putting the cart in front of the horse by assuming they'll find/save enough fuel by this October to actually run these tractors, or truck in fertilizer or truck out the bales of tobacco that weren't destroyed last year, etc. What a mess. Do they even have enough lumber/building supplies/manpower to even rebuild the curing barns and all other hurricane damaged infrastructure?
Corylax18 Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 6 minutes ago, SCgarman said: Do they even have enough lumber/building supplies/manpower to even rebuild the curing barns and all other hurricane damaged infrastructure? No. Many of the palm trees they use to thatch the roofs where stripped bare by the high winds. If they weren't killed by the damage, it will be a few years before they start dumping enough fronds to thatch any meaningful # of barns. The government had almost no corrugated steel to replace the thatching with, so you see lots of "Stick barns" just the frame with no walls or roof. Last time I was at Hectors farm, he had several hands sifting through the wreckage pulling all the nails they could find, so they could re use them. New nails/screws were nowhere to be found.
SCgarman Posted May 3, 2023 Posted May 3, 2023 1 hour ago, Corylax18 said: No. Many of the palm trees they use to thatch the roofs where stripped bare by the high winds. If they weren't killed by the damage, it will be a few years before they start dumping enough fronds to thatch any meaningful # of barns. The government had almost no corrugated steel to replace the thatching with, so you see lots of "Stick barns" just the frame with no walls or roof. Last time I was at Hectors farm, he had several hands sifting through the wreckage pulling all the nails they could find, so they could re use them. New nails/screws were nowhere to be found. Geez, the things we take for granted here......Home Depot/Lowes 1
NSXCIGAR Posted May 4, 2023 Posted May 4, 2023 2 hours ago, SCgarman said: Do they even have enough lumber/building supplies/manpower to even rebuild the curing barns and all other hurricane damaged infrastructure? Yeah, you'd think someone would ask Tabacuba what the priority is. I doubt it's tractors that they've never really had. How about rebuilding some curing barns? 1
El Presidente Posted May 4, 2023 Author Posted May 4, 2023 9 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said: Yeah, you'd think someone would ask Tabacuba what the priority is. I doubt it's tractors that they've never really had. How about rebuilding some curing barns? I will lay odds on that the tractor order was made with central government purchasing in 2008. 1
Rhinoww Posted May 4, 2023 Posted May 4, 2023 The theory advanced by @El Presidente of a (somewhat) manufactured scarcity to support high prices seems to have quite a bit of support with the lack of reinvestment in infrastructure and the failure to meet basic things like fuel, fertilizer or building supplies needed for production. It’s as if their plan is to be incompetent but just good enough to continue record profits. Genius, until it isn’t for a host of reasons like changing demand, revolution, emigration, weather, crop issues etc Time will give us all some answers, but the inputs just aren’t there to meet production of earlier years Buckle up boys and find your favorite Nudie
SCgarman Posted May 4, 2023 Posted May 4, 2023 7 hours ago, Rhinoww said: The theory advanced by @El Presidente of a (somewhat) manufactured scarcity to support high prices seems to have quite a bit of support with the lack of reinvestment in infrastructure and the failure to meet basic things like fuel, fertilizer or building supplies needed for production. It’s as if their plan is to be incompetent but just good enough to continue record profits. Genius, until it isn’t for a host of reasons like changing demand, revolution, emigration, weather, crop issues etc Time will give us all some answers, but the inputs just aren’t there to meet production of earlier years Buckle up boys and find your favorite Nudie Waiting for Rob to unleash the Canonazos! They look good
NSXCIGAR Posted May 6, 2023 Posted May 6, 2023 On 5/4/2023 at 5:22 AM, Rhinoww said: manufactured scarcity to support high prices seems In terms of the "artificially low" production you still have to consider that the farmers have to grow something. They still need to generate income. Will Hector and Hirochi start growing tomatoes? Maybe, but I doubt it. Hector has already just about had it with the nonsense and abuse. I'd bet he flies the coop before they force him to grow anything other than tobacco. Tabacuba is either going to be buying leaf they're not rolling or not buying at all. As it stands they have a ton of leaf. The last 5/7 crops were outstanding and all the leaf from 20 and 21 isn't fully viable yet. Production was reduced in 21 when most of the 18-19 leaf wasn't fully viable. The bottom line is they're sitting on a ton of leaf that has to get rolled at some point.
SCgarman Posted May 6, 2023 Posted May 6, 2023 8 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said: In terms of the "artificially low" production you still have to consider that the farmers have to grow something. They still need to generate income. Will Hector and Hirochi start growing tomatoes? Maybe, but I doubt it. Hector has already just about had it with the nonsense and abuse. I'd bet he flies the coop before they force him to grow anything other than tobacco. Tabacuba is either going to be buying leaf they're not rolling or not buying at all. As it stands they have a ton of leaf. The last 5/7 crops were outstanding and all the leaf from 20 and 21 isn't fully viable yet. Production was reduced in 21 when most of the 18-19 leaf wasn't fully viable. The bottom line is they're sitting on a ton of leaf that has to get rolled at some point. Wasn't a significant amount destroyed in the hurricane damage?
Corylax18 Posted May 6, 2023 Posted May 6, 2023 25 minutes ago, SCgarman said: Wasn't a significant amount destroyed in the hurricane damage? Yes, a lot of the 2021 harvest was still at the farms, much of that was lost. How much will probably never be accurately reported, but it was a very significant amount. Most of the 2020 harvest was already moved into slightly more robust Tabacuba facilities through out the growing areas or closer to Havana. I'm sure there was some loss there, but not nearly as much as the 2021 harvest. 1
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