Tobacco is grown in at least 124 countries in the world. Each year 7.5 million tons of tobacco leaves are harvested on almost 4.3 million hectares of land. The tobacco industry is an important contributor to the world’s economy, with many countries highly dependent on tobacco production for revenues and employment opportunities.
Tobacco is produced on a grand scale by many countries. The top tobacco-producing countries are as follows:
- India – India started growing tobacco in the 17th century after the Portuguese introduced the plant to the country. Indian tobacco is used in the manufacture of different tobacco products in many countries. The country is the third largest producer of tobacco in the world, yielding about 830,000 MT each year.
- China – China is the world’s leading producer of tobacco. The tobacco industry in China pays an equivalent of about $141.9 billion in taxes a year. Many provincial governments in China are dependent on the tobacco industry, which provides a major boost to local economies. Chinese tobacco production has doubled in the past decade. It now produces more than 3,150,197 MT (metric tons) of raw tobacco leaves each year.
- United States – The U.S. is the fourth largest producer of tobacco in the world. The number of tobacco farms in the country has significantly decreased from 18,000 farms in the 1980s to the current 10,000 tobacco farms. Despite the decrease in the amount of agricultural land devoted to tobacco, the United States is still producing 345,837 MT of tobacco each year. Tobacco farming in the U.S. is centered in southern states, including Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
- Brazil – The country is a leading consumer of tobacco products. To meet both local and international demand for tobacco, Brazil grows massive amounts of the crop each year. Tobacco sustains countless Brazilian farmers. The country produces about 851,000 MT of tobacco every year.
- Indonesia – Constituting one of the largest industries in the country, the tobacco business in Indonesia sustains very high domestic consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products. About 65 percent of Indonesian men are smokers, making the country’s population the third largest consumer of tobacco products in the world. Indonesia produces 260,200 MT of unmanufactured tobacco each year.
If you are a tobacco aficionado, you will find a broad selection of appealing products at cigar shops in Scottsdale. Visit a Scottsdale cigar shop to browse the inventory and settle on your favorites.