The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-04
CUBA'S YIELD OF TOBACCO.
This Seasons Crop Reported the
Latest Ever known

| NEW YORK, May "A member of a
| prominent leaf tobacco house, whose Ha-
vana representative has just arrived in
| this city, today made the following state
ments regarding this seasons crop OF to-
hacco in Cuba, the harvesting Of which
| is still in progress. and the general condi-
tions of the trade:
The crop is the latest this year ever
known in the island OF the early seed
lings a great many were washed away by
heavy rains in November and new ones
had TO be planted. This replautiug not
only makes the crop much later than
usual, but largely increases its cost. so
that there is very little chance of this
years tobacco being any cheaper than
last years product. In general the leaf
will be very heavy in quality. The earlier
the crop, the more wrapper tobacco there
Is. while the late paintings run more to
the filler kind. My remarks apply par
ticuiarly to the Vuelta de Abajo district
whence the finest qualities of tobacco are
derived for both the wrappers and filters
OF Havana cigars. The neighboring Partt-
do district is In the same condition. In
the Remedies district, from which we get
the bulk Of the Cuban tobacco that is used
In the manufacture of cigars in the Uni
ted States with Sumatra or other wrap
pers) the crop is also late. but promises
to be very fair, somewhat heavier In body
than last years. Owing to it's lateuess
this seasons yield will not be n1atured
until early next winter. and, therefore. it
will not enter at all into this years pro-
duction of cigars. The stock OF last
years Cuban tobacco on hand in this
country, which is now being worked up,
is not large. and anything desirable still
90.
of the lateness Of the crop and the search
ty of wrappers will fall chiefly on manu-
facturers of clear Havana cigars in Cuba,
who use Cuban tobaccos only
THAT the conditions of the island of
Cuba have greatly improved under Ameri-
can administration is indicated by the fact
that it has been possible to remove the
export duty on tobacco, which makes a
reduction of cents a pound in the cost
of all grades. This makes a vast differ
ence In respect to the cheaper grades
which are now exported to Germany be-
ing shipped direct to Hamburg and Brem-
en-. and there compete with -tobaccos from
Brazil, ana other countries. So far as the |
shipments of higher grades to this mar
ket IS concerned, the removal OF the eX-
port duty has not caused a reduction of !
prices here, just as the largely increased |
cost Of tobacco, growing out the troubles
III Cuba, did not cause a corresponding adj
vance to manufacturers and retailers. The |
difference is not great enough to unset
tie trade prices. which will probably re-
main unchanged, this years crop being
about the same in quantity as last year 5,
which was almost normal.
There is now a movement on foot TO
introduce Porto Rican tobacco into Cuba |
free of duty. If it succeeds it will be the !
first instance where by law any tobacco /
other than Cuban has ever been permitted /
to be in the island. though some was for /
meTly smuggled upon the coast by sailing
vessels from Porto Rico. In the opinion /
of cigar-leaf people the success of this /
would seriously injure the pres
tige of Havana tobacco in the eyes of the
world. Considerable Porto Rican tobacco
IS now coming into this market where 1t /
IS used iii the manufacture of the cheaper
grades of cigars but IL is not looked upon \
favorably. The cigar and cigarette facto-
ries which have been established in Porto
Rico by Americans are not doing a suf-
hcient amount of business TO be a fac
tor in the American trade.