This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Extremadura, campo de cultivo del tabaco español
20,000 people live directly or indirectly the benefits generated by the cultivation of tobacco
Extremadura, Spanish tobacco field
Minino Begoña17/05/2018
The cultivation of tobacco in Extremadura is 90% of the total production in Spain. The valleys of the Tiétar, Alagón rivers and Jerte, in the North of Cáceres, concentrated the higher production but there is also cultivation, in the area of Badajoz but to a lesser extent. To date, some 20,000 people live directly or indirectly of the benefits arising from the cultivation of tobacco, a figure which has been reduced with the passage of the years and different economic and agricultural policies. With regard to the marketing companies, in Extremadura has been more than 17,000 producers in the 1990s to just 3,000 who risk today to maintain production.
Virginia, Burley (E and F), Havana and Kentucky are the varieties that are the main crops being Virginias of greater extension with a total of 8.167 hectares. With regard to the data, this year are planned for the recruitment of 20.304.350 kg, a figure less than the target in 2010. The extension for the Burley variant is 1,224 hectares and a staff of face to the campaign of 3.565.310 kilograms for Burley 2011 and and 2.675.105 for Burley f. Havana achieved a more than respectable growth in comparison with the previous campaignreached 316.797 kilograms (more than 200,000 kilos that in 2010). The Kentucky variety is situated in the 25.850 contracted kilos.
Field of tobacco Jaraiz de la Vega (Cáceres). Photo: (C). Díaz.
As for tobacco farms, the existing 3.786, 70 per cent are directed to specialized production where the tobacco is the only alternative crop. The differences between these farms and those that retain their character family are palpable. Technology, best endowments, greater resources and funding are some of the handicaps that have to fight small tobacco growers. Employment associated with labour generated by the tobacco sector is the main lever that use public administrations to ensure that the sector proliferate in the region. However, different land policies, such as the com, cause the destabilization of one of the sources of wealth of the Extremadura economy. It has been the recent adoption of the new common organization of the tobacco market, more specifically, the article requiring replacement "at least part" of the surface of this crop for other alternative to adapt to the conditions of the areawhich has led to the discontent of the entrepreneurs and farmers, fearing that this new CMO will result in the end of the production. CETARSA and Agroexpasión - World Wide Tobacco are the most affected industries.
Employment associated with labour generated by the tobacco sector is the main lever that use public administrations to ensure that the sector proliferate in the region
The saturation of the international market because of the overproduction in emerging countries in America and Asia is the new challenge. In fact, the industries claim that they can barely pay the farmer 2.40 euros per kg. According to Antonio Carcaño, CEO of Cetarsa, "our customers have informed us that its forecasts of acquisition will be lower than the production of the last year." "And certainly in terms of prices also". It follows that if the big tobacco companies reduce both the quantity and the price of hiring to the Spanish tobacco, thus, these will do the same with the farmers.
Photo: Vasant Dave.
Despite the unrest, from the regional government is working to ensure that the producing areas continue to receive the aid of the com in tobacco, are intended for rural development from 2010. The last of the actions framed in the Plan for support to the tobacconist Sector, has been the adoption by the Council of Government of the Junta de Extremadura of a new batch of 800,000 euros aimed at enhancing the promotion and use in common of new technologies in agricultural machinery in tobacco holdingsin order to improve the competitiveness of the crop. According to sources from the Junta de Extremadura the objective of this new economic impetus is "improving the competitiveness of the tobacco sector through a reduction in the costs of production promoted by the incorporation of new machinery and equipment to enable the technification of tobacco at all stages". Corporate and agricultural societies and their groupings will be the beneficiaries.
