During the last 26 days, heavy rains have affected the territory causing the deterioration of more than 3 million seedlings that were ready for the beginning of the tobacco sowing scheduled for October 15.

Engineer Luis Enrique Santiago, deputy director for agriculture of Las Tunas Tobacco Enterprise told ACN the due to the rains the tobacco sowing will be delayed around 40 days because of the amounts of seedlings that have to be replaced.

However, agricultural experts remain optimistic. They hope this year's tobacco campaign plans can be fulfilled with an increase of the yield of 1,480 hectares of land that should be planted, to be able to harvest more than 1,500 tons of dry tobacco leaves.

Producers are looking to meet a production record set in 2001 in the province but this time with some 270 planted hectares less than in that season.

Located some 670 kms from east Havana, Las Tunas does not have a solid history in the tobacco growing tradition as the western region of Cuba.

The crop was first grown in the eastern province ten years ago to support the production of the western region. Today, Las Tunas is one the largest tobacco growers in the country, exceeded only by the traditional producers: Pinar del Rio, Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus.

Source: ACN