Official heads planting of US$700M per year tobacco crop

Santo Domingo.- With dozens of technicians, growers andofficials of the Dominican Republic Tobacco Institute (Intabaco) present on Wednesdaywas launched the 2016 to 2017 tobacco crop in the town Villa Gonzalez(northwest), with the planting of nearly 8,000 hectares of different varieties.

Intabaco director Juan Francisco Caraballo said activities willbe carried out such as lectures, workshops and meetings with growers in allregions, to reduce tobacco production costs.

"We will also provide the usual technical support andproducts so those involved can get a good crop, both in quantity andquality," said Caraballo at a press conference at Quin Diaz experimentalstation, Villa González.

He said among the varieties planted for the current harvestfigure Havanensis, Criollo, for andullos (rolled tubes), Burley and for cigarwrap.

He said sales of tobacco products abroad earn around 700million dollars per year.