Curing barn space at a premium in US

The tobacco commentator, Christopher E. Bickers, has warned of a looming shortage of barns to cure the US’ 2013 crop.

In the latest issue of his Tobacco Farmer Newsletter, Bickers says that the situation is especially urgent for flue-cured growers.

They were short on barn space in 2012, he said, and they seem to be looking to contract for higher volumes this year.

Bickers quotes the commodity director of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, Jay Boyette, as saying a lot of flue-cured barns are 20-25 years old and that the time might have come to replace them.

One other problem was that arrangements needed to be made soon because whereas 15 years ago manufacturers might have built barns on spec, nowadays they would need an order, perhaps a guaranteed order.

More information about the Tobacco Farmer Newsletter can be obtained by e-mailing Bickers at chrisbickers@gmail.com.