DOMINION TOBACCO

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 February 1927, Page 12

DOMINION TOBACCO

PROGRESS OF INDUSTRY.

The tobacco industry of New Zealand—the growth and manufacture of tobacco in the Dominion —has passed the experimental stage, and has now arrived at the period when growing for export is being seriously considered. For some years the industry was carried on at a loss, without assistance from the Government, but it now shows every promise of becoming an asset to the Dominion, according to a statement made by the Department of Industries and Commerce. The are under cultivation in the Dominion at the present time is between 350 and 400 acres. It is about 12 years since tobacco was first grown in New Zealand, and has been grown on a commercial basis for several years, the establishment of a tobacco manufacturing industry in the Dominion being the chief factor for this development.

The statement of the Department proceeds:—This New Zealand undertaking nas been experimenting with various classes of iobaccos to ascertain their suitability for growth on New Zealand soils, their suitability for manufacture as regards texture, aroma, burning qualities, and. so on, and has, after incurring huge expenditure, at least succeeded in producing what some consider one of the very best pipe tobaccos in the world from New Zealand grown leaf.”

“There is no doubt whatever about the fact that tobacco can be, and has been, and is being grown on a commercial basis here, and that is a profitable crop which brings in an appreciable and welcome sum (this year it will run into many thousands of pounds sterling) to those, mostly fruitgrowers, who contract to supply the New Zealand manufacturer. In the past four years the actual quantities of New Zealand-grown tobacco manufactured and sold in the Dominion have increased tenfold. The commercial possibilities of New Zealand grown leaf are established, and if the demand for New Zealand pipe tobacco continues to increase as it has during recent years on its merits, both as regards quality and price, much larger areas will have to be grown to meet the local demand alone.”

“Under the guiding hand of the Horticultural Division of the Department of Agriculture, which is now engaged in the experimental work of growing, curing, grading, and packing tobacco leaf for export and of administering a guarantee fund that has been set up by the Government to encourage such export, increased production will most certainly result to the benefit of New Zealand tobacco growers. The Department of Industries and Commerce is sanguine that any leaf exported will find a ready market overseas, but at the same time would prefer to see all New Zealanders using tobacco made by New Zealanders in New Zealand from New Zealand-grown leaf, because this would most certainly assure the best price to the growers, as the local market invariably returns highest prices for primary products, and manufacture within the Dominion would also provide an excellent medium of employment for onr own people. There are huge possibilities for the extension of this industry in New Zealand and the yield of 3000 acres, producing roughly 2,0' lbs. of leaf annually, could easily be absorbed by local manufacturers within the Dominion. The average imports of pipe tobacco are roughly 3,000,0001 b per year.” The crops in Nelson, which have just been inspected, are reported to be looking exceptionally well and promise to yield a fine harvest.