FUTURE OF TOBACCO

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 60, 6 December 1943, Page 4

FUTURE OF TOBACCO

Effect Of Embargo On

Export Of U.S. Seed . “It is now more than two years since the Federal Government of the U.S.A placed an. embargo on the export of all American tobacco seed,” states the annual report of the NationalJTobacco Company Ltd., Napier. “The object is clearly to prevent other countries from starting or developing their own tobaeco industries in competition with the American “Our crops in New Zealand are raised from American seed, the import of. which is now illegal. When choosing this seed the aim has been to approach as near ns possible the Virginia type of leaf wmeh is accepted the world over as the highest standard in respect of cigarette tobacco. Only with this seed was there a chance of reproducing anything approaching the characteristic properties of the parent plant. We have had some good results, and though we cannot claim having brought forth from New Zealand soil a real Virginia tobacco, our crops here represent a very useful type of leaf and our prospects of expanding the industry far beyond the present boundaries were really bright,” continues the report. “That may now all be changed because of the embargo on the export of American seed and the possible deterioration of the New Zealand crops. However, we have been experimenting with New Zealand propagated seed for some time and are continuing to do so this season on a much larger scale. The further development of the New Zealand growing industry will probably much depend upon the result of these and subsequent experiments.” _____