Last year, the pool take was 12.8 percent in Kentucky. Mr. Althauser said he will not have final numbers until Friday, but he thinks 542 million pounds of tobacco will be sold throughout the tobacco belt this year. He estimated that about 377 million pounds will be sold in Kentucky markets. Kentucky generally averages about 70 percent of sales for the burley belt and has about 20 burley markets. Meanwhile, another tobacco-growing season begins this spring.
Growers already know that they're in for a rough time.
The annual quota is determined by the demand of tobacco companies. Official sales will close today. The Cincinnati Enquirer , a Gannett Co. Inc. newspaper.