TOBACCO 95 



by the prevailing high prices to embark in the industry, 

 but the licensing system has tended to throw it more into 

 the hands of the bona-fide farmers, who are allowed only to 

 cultivate small areas which can be looked after mainly by 

 their own families. In 1916 the total production was 

 89,065 okes, and the estimated yield for 1917 is 487,674 

 okes. 



The Agricultural Department has for some five years 

 carried out experimental growings in various districts, and 

 samples of tobacco so grown have been submitted to the 

 Imperial Institute (see BULLETIN OF THE IMPERIAL INSTI- 

 TUTE, vol. xiii. 1915, pp. 547-550). The two best samples 

 reported on were grown in the Nicosia plain. They were 

 said to conform with the Turkish tobacco as regards size 

 of leaf, but contained too much moisture for the English 

 market. The tobacco was found to smoke rather hot 

 and was only mildly aromatic, but it was believed that 

 these defects would probably disappear with more experi- 

 ence in the curing. The samples referred to were incom- 

 pletely cured, having been submitted quickly in order to 

 roughly ascertain their quality. The report on the whole 

 was moderately encouraging, and it is hoped that later 

 samples which have been better cured will be found 

 superior. 



The tobacco grown in Cyprus is mostly of the Samsoun. 

 Trebizond, Kavalla and Hassan Keff varieties. 



The normal importation of tobacco into Cyprus is 

 about 180,000 okes, which produces an import duty of 

 4,500 a year, at the rate of 4\cp. per oke. 



The average amount paid for banderolles on tobacco 

 when issued from factories for consumption is about 30,000 

 a year, which at the rate of 35. 6%cp. per oke equals a 

 banderolle duty on 161,000 okes ; the difference of about 

 20,000 okes would be cigarettes exported on which no 

 banderolle duty is paid. 



If, then, no tobacco were grown and none imported 

 the Government would lose 35,000 revenue annually. It 

 would appear to be immaterial from a revenue point of 

 view whether tobacco were imported or grown in the 

 Island, since the imposts are the same, viz. on imports 

 4\cp. per oke import duty and 35. 6\cp. per oke banderolle 



