N.Z. TOBACCO

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 122, 19 November 1929, Page 9

N.Z. TOBACCO

WARNING FROM LONDON

"WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION"

A cablegram published in yesterday's "Post" stated that, a London firm of tobacco merchants has imported forty bales of New Zoaland pipe tobacco to test the market. "A warning is issued that if this small shipment is successful it does not follow that the market can absorb larger quantities," stated the message. "This warning is founded on experience. Rhodesian tobaccos; thousands of tons of which are now in Britain, are unmarketable. It is not a question of quality or whether it is equal to or better than American. It is the different taste to which tho public must be educated. Many Englishmen who went to Africa to grow tobacco in Rhodesia and Nyassa are now glad to drive trams."

"This very definite warning must be regarded as worthy of the fullest consideration," said the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. G. W. Forbes)1 in commenting on the cablegram. The Minister said thore was no doubt that tobacco leaf of good quality could be successfully grown in New Zealand, and at present there wore about "1000 acres in the Dominion devoted to tobacco cultured Up to the present, however,- the bulk of the good leaf produced had been utilised by manufacturers in New Zealand, and it was evident that it was necessary to observe caution ,ancl that the whole of the conditions must be fully underStood before the establishment "of a payable export trade in tobacco leaf could be assured. OVER-PRODUCTION VALUELESS. "As is indicated in the cable message," the Minister added, "Bhodesian growers have had- a very unsatisfactory experience, and it is very necessary that the risk of repeating this ex. perience in New Zealand should bo avoided. This, however, should not bo allowed to act as a deterrent to the gradual and stablo development of tobacco production in New Zealand, but it is no use over-producing an article for which a satisfactory market cannot be found. Smokers become accustomed to established brands of .cigarettes or pipe tobacco, and consequently the manufacturers have to proceed cautiously in introducing into these brands leaf which may produce a variation of the flavour upon which their popularity has been established. Entirely new brands can, of course, be manufactured, but these, again would take time to become established cm the basis of a wide consumption. MARKET MUST BE WATCHED. "In the report of the Department of Agriculture presented to Parliament at the recent session, tho position was summed up as followa: 'The future of the industry in this country, however, dopends very largely on a satisfactory overseas market being available for the surplus not needed for New Zealand requirements, and until this is definitely assured the planting of tobacco on an extensive scale requires to bo carefully considered.' Prospective growers would do well to keep tins advice in mind."