Tobacco campaign in its final stretch

[El Presidente]

 

 

Tobacco campaign in its final stretch (+Video)

By: Ronald Suárez Rivas

In this article: Agriculture , Cuba , Economy , Business Group (Tabacuba) , Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG) , Pinar del Río , Tobacco

February 9, 2024 | + |  

 

Pinar del Río, land of the best tobacco. Photo: Marcelino Vázquez Hernández.

With more than 7,700 hectares planted so far and the goal of reaching around 10,200 , the 2023-2024 tobacco campaign enters its final stretch in las vegas pinareñas.

The impossibility of completing the reconstruction of the curing (drying) houses necessary to take on the 12,905 hectares that had been initially planned on time has forced the plans to be readjusted and the planting schedule extended until February 20.

Even though intense work has been done on cutting and hauling wood to recover the infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Ian, in September 2022, the 4,776 healing houses that have been rebuilt, and the 620 in the completion phase, They do not allow us to aspire to more.

Given this situation, Osvaldo Santana Vera, coordinator of the Tabacuba Business Group in Pinar del Río , explained that planting has been concentrated on the farmers with the greatest historical results and on the best meadows, in order to get the maximum possible benefit from the harvest.

Pinar del Río, land of the best tobacco. Photo: Marcelino Vázquez Hernández.

In total there would be about 6,000 producers , located, above all, in what is known as the Vueltabajo tobacco massif (municipalities of Pinar del Río, Consolación del Sur, San Juan y Martínez and San Luis), where the quality tobacco for export.

The official stated that all companies have also been given the indication to apply regrowth cultivation in the planted areas until the end of November, in search of greater production on the same area.

"Today, all companies have the supplies and fuel necessary to conclude the campaign," he assured.

He commented that Tabacuba has designed a program for the planting of various crops (mainly grains) with tobacco producers who, due to limitations with curing capacities, could not participate in the campaign.

In total there will be around 3,000 hectares that will be enhanced with fertilizers.

Santana Vera specified that, after the devastating blow that Ian meant, it was estimated that the recovery of the tobacco infrastructure would take at least two years, and he specified that for the 2024-2025 campaign the group has proposed reaching 14,000 hectares, a A figure close to what was planted in years before the hurricane.

 

 

 

[VeguerosMAN]

Good News.  The more plants the more cigars- thus price decrease. 

[El Presidente]

11 minutes ago, VeguerosMAN said:

Good News.  The more plants the more cigars- thus price decrease. 

Delusional 🤣

[Nevrknow]

Yea, no. Thats not how this works.

[Li Bai]

Have they ever decreased?

[VeguerosMAN]

On 2/10/2024 at 2:24 AM, Li Bai said:

Have they ever decreased?

I am not sure, but I believe there was a crisis in the 80s in the Cuban tobacco industry. Maybe they decreased the prices back then. 

[El Presidente]

On 2/10/2024 at 6:24 PM, Li Bai said:

Have they ever decreased?

No. 

Decreasing (and holding) your lower prices due to desperation is generally a highway to eventual insolvency. There are exceptions but Cuba hasn't the tools to execute those exceptions. You are better off developing a new line or a line extension. 

Getting the "pricing" correct is perhaps the hardest element of the marketing mix. 

[Li Bai]

That's what I thought, thank you Presidente !