Burley, the light tobacco used to make cigarettes, has long been the favorite crop for Kentucky's tobacco farmers. Rising fertilizer prices and uncertain labor availability, however, have led many farmers to make the switch to dark tobaccos, which are used to make smokeless tobacco products, says Will Snell, an agricultural economist at the University of Kentucky.
The trend is occurring at the same time tobacco companies are seeking more burley for export overseas. "Even though it appears we have opportunities to expand burley use, it’s pretty tough to get a lot of excitement out there right now,” Snell said in a news release from the univesity's College of Agriculture.
Companies may increase prices and incentives for farmers to grow more burley this year, but nothing is certain, Snell said. Meanwhile, the demand for dark tobacco has been growing for the past 20 years, and Snell said he expects dark-tobacco acreage to increase 10 to 15 percent this year. Most dark tobacco is grown in Kentucky and Tennessee. (Read more)
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