Cuba Headed for Worst Tobacco Crop
Shade grown tobacco growing at the historic Robaina farm in Pinar del Rio (Credit: Hirochi Robaina)
Cuba´s Pinar del Rio province, renowned for its high-quality tobacco, is heading towards the worst harvest in its history, state-run media reported late on Wednesday.
The struggle with leaf production was expected this year. The province was heavily impacted by Hurricane Ian last fall. Most of the region´s tobacco-drying houses were flattened and homes and infrastructure were destroyed.
The 2022-2023 planting season will go down as the “smallest in Pinar del Rio´s history,” according to a report in Granma, Cuba´s state-run newspaper, as reported by Yahoo.
Prior to the hurricane, the province aspired to plant 11,200 hectares, the report said, but the region will struggle to reach half that goal.
State-run tobacco company Tabacuba said in the report it would instead prioritize the highest quality crop to assure sufficient output for the all-important export sector.
The planned area for tobacco planting this year is down to 9,500 ha from an initial plan of 15,000 ha, Enrique Blanco, agricultural director of Tabacuba said last month. Under fabric cover, 2,100 ha of premium leaf will be grown, which Cuba hopes to use to cover export demand.