One bonus of this site is there are a lot of members that have gone to Cuba and have in-depth knowledge about the cultivation of puros. I'm hoping one of those members can answer this:
At what stage of the harvest is Cuban tobacco in and what effects might hurricane Ivan have on it?
I realize the safety of the Cuban people is paramount, but just the same, I'm sure many of the visitors of this site are also curious what this storm might do to future stocks of habanos.
the crop of capa (wrapper leaf) for the past year was atrocious...there is a definite shortage of appropriate capa that is large enough for churchill's, torpedoes, dc's, and other larger cigars, and that will show itself in production from mid-2004 on. It has been hoped that this year would be better, but the problem was not simply that of weather. The industry is not smart enough to sustain itself by allowing fields to lay fallow, by introducing adequate supplements to the soil that are depleted, and by providing the farmers with what they need to meet ridiculous production demands. In the end, the industry will once again be shooting itself in the foot. First, the 30% increase in prices in the Cuban stores has hurt business a great deal. Boxes of cigars are sitting on the shelves because no average Joe tourist on vacation in Cuba in their right mind would drop $200 on a box of cigars! Now, the crops are suffering. It is not pretty. We'll see about the next crop...harvest hopefully in February.
___________________ Santa Cabilla...patron saint of Quericæstan. VIVE COULTER! VIVE CPD!
Posts: 10301 | Location: Avenida de las Nalgas, Quericæstan | Registered: May 02, 2002
so there are already problems in Cuba and now this storm might further strain product. . .
what is the average time (ballpark) that it takes Cuban tobacco to leave the field to end up in the stores? i realize this differs between brands and certain cigars like ELs that may have longer aging periods. basically, if the storm hits Cuba today and destroys tobacco in the field, when should we see the impact on the final market, 6 months? 1-2 years? Thanks for any input.
Secondly, RyJ is the problem only with capa? I won't mind smoking and unattractive cigar so long as it tastes great. . .or is this problem seen in other leaves, like filler? Thanks
Posts: 1540 | Location: Boston | Registered: February 28, 2003
Tobacco is ready within a few months. The plant, first of all, is a weed, and grows exceptionally fast. Then it's bunched and put into the initial barns to dry. Then it's bailed and sent off to ferment, and then to the factories it goes after the lots are assigned to a particular blend. Indeed, there are different processes (so they say) for the EL stuff, but this is pretty much the routine. Used to be that they'd let the tobacco sit for longer, but there is a rush to get product out, and with strained crop yields, they're doing it faster and faster.
It's not just how pretty the capa is...it's just that the big leaf did not grow. So, it's a real shortage.
___________________ Santa Cabilla...patron saint of Quericæstan. VIVE COULTER! VIVE CPD!
Posts: 10301 | Location: Avenida de las Nalgas, Quericæstan | Registered: May 02, 2002
i left Cuba several weeks after CHarley (yes i weathered it in Havana del Este) and the seedlings were still in Hothouses and Yuca, Malanga, rice and other Vegetables were growing before the storm and most was picked just before the storm as after the storm , the fields were devasted and what had been left had beeen ripped from the ground. the talk is of waiting maybe until Oct before planting. which will have significant affects on the growing season and the tobacco. will it be better or worse? time will tell.
The Eternal Marxist
Posts: 997 | Location: Habana del Este/ NOLA | Registered: May 04, 2002
