ABOUT N.Z. TOBACCO

Grey River Argus, 23 August 1945, Page 3

ABOUT N.Z. TOBACCO

People in New Zealand before the war were smoking several hundred million imported cigarettes every year (says “Consumer News”). They now find no imported stocks in the shops. Two years after the war began, annual imports of cigarettes had dropped by over 400 million. Although more raw leaf came into the country in 1941 than in 1939, there has since been an appreciable drop due to the world shortage of leaf. In addition to this shortage, the possible interruption of supplies available for the Dominion and the necessity for conserving, shipping space were factors which placed an obligation on the tobacco industry here to produce to the limit of its capacity. The result was that nearly two million pounds more tobacco were produced in the Dominion in 1943 than in 1939, in spite of shortages of labour and equipment. Although it may be necessary to continue importing some overseas leaf for blending, the Dominion’s tobacco industry is still expanding. Moreover, the industry provides opportunities for people in the Services seeking rehabilitation. The increase in local leaf production and the fall in cigarette imports nvn chnu-n in the following table.

UT.J , ®Not for civilian consumption. The Nelson province, where the climate favours a consistently healthy growth, has been the home of tobacco leaf production since about 1922, when the industry was first established on a permanent basis in this country. The expansion of the industry will take place in Nelson. Efforts have been made to grow the leaf commercially in many parts of the country, including Auckland, Canterbury, Otago, Hawke’s Bay, and the Bay of Plenty, but no tobacco is now grown’ on a commercial scale in these areas.

are sno’ vvn in me iuhuwhi N.Z. Production Imported Season. (lbs.) Cigarettes. 1939 . . .. 1,423,610 421,906,200 1940. . 2,217,040 122,947,800 1941 . 3,143,355 3,313,400=: 1942 . 2,721,539 6,502,600’ 1943 . 3,185,183 9,233,200=: