Holguin tobacco growers maintain productive commitments

Despite the current epidemiological situation, Holguin tobacco producers maintain the commitment to manufacture 17 million 575 thousand quality cigars in galleys, which will be commercialized by Habanos SA in brands such as Cohíba, Montecristo, Partagás, Romeo y Julieta, Hoyo de Monterrey or H Upmann, the favorites in the international market.

Regarding the importance of tobacco cultivation for Cuba, it would suffice to mean that, to achieve a Habano, of any of the six best-known Cuban global brands in the world, more than 500 manual processes are needed, including agricultural and factory processes.

For this reason, the Holguín Tobacco Collection, Benefit and Twisting Company will become the one that will contribute the most to the national plan for export, with income to the national economy exceeding 600 million pesos, which reaffirms the competitiveness and profitability of tobacco activity in the territory, leader in eastern Cuba, according to Raciel Aguilera Pérez, its director.

He also reported that they plan to produce about 38 million cigars for national consumption, with a daily average of 140 thousand units, in the 10 factories in the province, including San Andrés, the only one in the country where tobacco is produced for chew (500 thousand in plan).

Holguin tobacco producers maintain the commitment to manufacture 17 million 575 thousand quality cigars in galleys, which will be marketed by the Habanos SA firm in brands such as Cohíba, Montecristo, Partagás, Romeo and Julieta, among others. Photo: Lianne Fonseca

With raw materials from the plains of Pinar del Río, Havana and Sancti Spíritus, in the province about 70 thousand hand-twisted cigars are made in a day for export in five factories in the province, where the female labor force prevails and young.

The Holguín Tobacco Collection, Benefit and Twisting Company closed 2020 with efficient results in its three processes (agricultural, pre-industry and industry) as exports closed at 103 percent and more than 13.2 million cigars were sold to Habanos SA , despite the pandemic and the difficulties imposed by the United States’ economic blockade of Cuba.

Since October last year, the 2020-21 tobacco planting campaign started with one of the highest programs in recent times, 1,110 hectares will be used for this crop in four municipalities, among which Mayarí stands out, due to the advantages they offer the irrigation systems associated with the East-West Transfer, according to Emilio Del Toro, deputy director of the Holguín Tobacco Company.

 The production of the tobacco leaf, basic raw material for the manufacture of tobacco and components for cigarettes, is also carried out in the municipalities of Calixto García, Holguín and Sagua de Tánamo and most of the crops in the province are used for the production of Cigars for national consumption, from the Criollo and Aroma brands, at the Lázaro Peña factory and the other part is used as a layer for shaping the tobacco for export.