Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1924-09-18
When Will We GroW too
Much Tobacco in Georgia!
By C. T. OWENS
County Agent, Ben Hill County


The possibility of flooding the to
bacco market is being freely discussed
among the prospective tobacco grow
ers OF this section Some are Of the
opinion that If the tobacco acreage Is
increased the market will be crowded
thereby causing a considerable decline
in the price paid for tobacco. However
these are My speculative opinions and
for anyone TO follow closely the fol
lowing government statistical report
on the increased consumption OF TO-
bacco. especially that bright icai
otbacco. for making cigarettes, they
can not help but realize that our pro
du6tion can be increased more than
100 per cent in this section without
causing any alarm whatever as to an
overproduction.
The u. S. census statistics are as toi
lows:
During the month OF July. the treas eaS
,,ror'c 6oures disclose 583,OOO,0OO
cigarettes were manufactured III the
IJ1sted States. This is an increase OF
$50 600 900 over the number manu-
featured in July, 1923. If this pace is
maintained there will be manufactured
and sold i'll the United States during
the current fiscal year, more tiiah ~
OOO.0O0,000 cigarettes In IVA the
number of cigarettes manufactured
was 1922, 100000. Within the last
te-U wears the tobacco manufacturing
industry has increased $50 per cent.
For every adult in the United States
men and women, the cigarette factor
les are turning out this year almost
1000 cigarettes. Two years ago. the
ger capita output was only ooo cigar
cites for very adult Consumption mas
increased, according to Bureau OF In
ternaI Revenue and Census hgures
about so per cent within two years.
The Census report shows that the IN
creased consumption of cigarettes is
due largely to the habit being taken
up by women in some sections OF UT
Country. Notwithstanding the enor-
NOUS output there is a scarcity at the
present time it is said of some OF the
LARGO cigarette manufacturing plants.
A number of manufacturing plants
are working overtime in order to I'LL
their orders for cigarettes.
AS a source of revenue to the gov
ernment, tobacco now ranks third FL
cures lust made public by the Bureau
OF Internal Revenue show the tax col
lections from this source amounts to
almost ST 100000 day. The increase
during the past fiscal year in revenue
was Slo,O00000 Within the last SIX
wears the flow of tobacco tax to the
treasurer has more than doubled, and
within another six years at the same
rate tobacco taxes will exceed the to-
tai OF all customs duties.
The government figures also show
that while cigarette smoking has in
creased almost SO per cent within
three years, the consumption OF CT
CARS has decreased rs per cent within
FIVE years This being a section es-
pecially adapted. to the growing OF
bright leaf cigarette tobacco, and with
a limited area suitable for growing
bright leaf tobacco, it doesn't appear
reasonable that we will be able to in
crease our production above the stead
Nv growing demand for this cigarette
tobacco, even this years crop whish
amounts to about 27,00O0O0 pounds,
whinh is a considerable increase over
any previous year IN Georgia, does not
begin to compare with the Increased
demand for cigarette tobacco.
All of the large tobacco buyers
claim that our tobacco market IN
Georgia will not be as good as the
market of Virginia and the Carolinas
until we produce from 6O,OO00O0 to
75,O00,OO0 pounds of tbacco annually,
and according to the increased pro-
duction in the last FIVE years, we
might be safe in saying that 1t would
take at least FIVE years to reach. the
6O,000.0O0 to 75,000,000 pounds pro-
duction.
The above information was COM
piled in order to give real facts as TO
the production and consumption OF
tobacco in this territory, and from
these statistics it is reasonable to pre-
sumo that we will not have an over
production Of tobacco III Georgia |
very soon. at the same time IT would |
be unwise for any farmer to under
take to grow an acreage IN excess
OF sufficient labor to take the very
hest care of his tobacco Good tobac-
co always brings a good PRICE, sor-
nv tobacco seldom ever brings tar
price. ~