TOBACCO LEAF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 287, 5 December 1939, Page 2

TOBACCO LEAF

STANDARD GRADES ADOPTED WELLINGTON. Dec. 3. Decisions of the Tobacco Board, which met in Wellington a few days ago, relating to the adoption of standard, grades, were detailed by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan! last night. He said that the following conclusions in respect of all tobacco leaf grown in future would apply: — 1. That the question of the determination of grades should be left to each individual manufacturer. 2. That each manufacturer should exhibit a range of samples of acceptable leaf, together with descriptions and prices of each grade, in a place where such exhibit will be available to growers. 3. That the minimum qualities of leaf and lugs acceptable by manufacturers should be fixed, the minimum to be as follows:—Light-bodied leaf. Small ripe sand leaves, with fair yellow colour, lacking slightly in body and texture. May show slignt damage and blemish. Size not less than 12m. oy sin. Heavy-bodied leaf. Fair size, ripe heavy-bodied leaf, dark in colour (about light mahogany). May show slight blemish. Size about Kin. by s£in. Leaf in all cases to be free from signs of mould. The Minister said that the adoption u( these conditions in respect of grades would make for uniformity among manufacturers, and through the fixation of minimum acceptaole qualities would tend to bring about an improvement in the quality of the leaf generally. Another matter of considerable interest and importance to growers was the decision of the board to waive the levy of id a pound in respect of all leaf of the 1939-1940 crop.