Tobacco in Cuba

 

Cuba was one of the last countries of the South America where tobacco appeared. However Cuba had all climatic and natural conditions for tobacco cultivating. And soon Cuba became the world centre of cigarettes and cigars production.

Cuba was the first to make the sort of tobacco for cigarettes production. It was called Nicotiana Tabacum Habanensis. During several centuries this sort was the quality standard for smokers all over the world until the first Centre of Tobacco researches was founded in Cuba. Nowadays there are a lot of similar Centres almost in every country that produces cigars. They work on investigation and improvement of tobacco taste and quality. The main goal of such centres is the improvement of taste and aroma qualities of tobacco, the increase of resistibility to diseases. Besides, scientists work on adaptation of classical sorts of tobacco to new regions, soils and climatic conditions.

But when the first centre was created it had another aims that were to find the methods that would protect the only sort for cigarettes production.

One of the most serious difficulties of the Cube tobacco industry was the epidemic of blue mould that damaged 85% of all harvest in 1979. Then scientists with tobacco makers put the aim to make the sort that could resist not only this disease but also many other diseases. And this aim was gained only in 20th century. The sorts found in Cuba in 90s of the past century are considered to be the best in the world. Such sorts as Criollo 98, Habana 92, Habana 2000 and Corojo 99 were created for the production of the best cigars in the world. The world-known Habana is made of Corojo 99.