Producers in Pinar del Rio foresee Favorable Tobacco Harvest

Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Mar 2 (ACN) Tobacco producers in the Cuban province of Pinar del Rio foresee favorable yield of their harvest this year if the current climate conditions continues.

Francisco Lazo, dedicated 20 years to this activity and from San Juan y Martinez, one of the areas that produces the best tobacco in the world, told ACN that the producers expect a very successful year in quantity and quality thanks to the perfect climate this year.
As the surrounding farms, Lazo's area is undergoing a good development of its green and vigorous plantation.
While demonstrating his closed camp of tobacco leaves, Lazo commented that such results require constant dedication and a lot of effort including the necessary resources like fertilizers.
This year is perfect, the climate has helped us with little rain, said Hector Luis Prieto, the youngest Habano Man in the world, distinction that he obtained in 2008 at only 35, when he reached over 50 percent of the layers for exportation.
According to both tobacco producers, there has been a totally different behavior compared to the last harvest due to irregular climate, drought, heavy rain, too much heat and irregular cold.
There are two varieties called Corojo 2016 and 2012 in Pinar del Rio that are very resistant to plagues and diseases that affect the cultivation and also a very high yield.
The participants to the 19th International Habano Festival, which will wind up on Friday in Havana, witnessed the production stages on Tuesday of the tobacco in the western part of the country while talking to peasants and visiting farms and factories.
According to predictions by specialists, tobacco plants in the province about 30 400 000 bars of tobacco leaves is expected to be extracted.
Pinar del Rio contributes almost half of the exportable layers; outer layer and insides of the cigars.
Tobacco is one of the main income generators for the country with 445 million dollars reported in 2016 and a 5 percent increase in expected compared with the previous year, according to sources from Habanos S.A., leader of Premium cigars in Cuba and the world.