EXPORTS AND IMPORTS 
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 
Tobacco is produced and consumed in practically every country of the 
world and is one of the major items in international trade. World production 
was about 9.9 billion pounds in 1965. The United States is the leading produ- 
cer. Among the other important producing countries are China, India, U.S.S.R., 
Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Rhodesia, Canada, Italy, Pakistan, Indonesia, Philip- 
pines, and Greece. Most producing countries grow more than one type of leaf, 
but must supplement domestic production by imports of other types in order to 
satisfy consumer desires. Some produce a substantial surplus and export large 
quantities, but are also extensive importers. The United States falls in this 
category. Some are virtually self-sufficient in tobacco. World exports now 
amount to about 1.9 billion pounds, roughly equal to one-sixth of total world 
production. 
International trade in tobacco reflects consumer preferences for various 
kinds of tobacco products. As tastes in consumption changed over a period of 
years, so did demand for various types of tobacco. The popularity of snuffing 
shifted to pipe smoking and then to cigarettes. The change in need for leaf 
shifted accordingly from dark tobaccos to flue-cured, light air-cured, and 
Oriental types. The rise and fall of the chewing habit has had no effect on 
world trade, since it is a custom largely confined to America. This changing 
pattern of consumer preferences, and the resulting popularity of various types 
of tobacco greatly affected the geography of tobacco production on both a 
countrywide and worldwide scale. Of course international trade was affected 
also. 
Governmental restrictions on international trade have continued to in- 
crease over the years, and now constitute the most important factor influenc- 
ing such trade. The operation of government tobacco monopolies, tariff levels, 
import quotas, restrictions upon the use of foreign exchange, State trading, 
bilateral and compensation agreements, preferential duties, guaranteed mar- 
kets, export subsidies, manipulation of currency exchange rates, and mixing 
agreements--all tend to limit the amount of leaf imported, and to channel im 
ports from selected sources. 
The United States has been the most important tobacco exporter throughout 
ts history. Indonesia (formerly the Netherlands East Indies) for many years 
ranked second in exports due to the fine cigar leaf grown there, but exports 
have greatly decreased since the beginning of the Second World War. Rhodesia- 
Nyasaland and Canada are of fast-growing importance as flue—-cured exporters. 
India remains important as an exporter of low quality flue-cured tobacco. 
Turkey and Greece are the major exporters of aromatic (Oriental) tobacco, and 
production and exports of these countries are increasing. Brazil, Cuba, the 
Dominican Republic, and the Philippine Republic are important exporters of 
dark and cigar leaf tobaccos. 
The United Kingdom in the 1930's supplanted Germany as the most important 
leaf tobacco importer, and now takes about one- fifith of all leaf tobacco 
moving in world trade--mostly flue-cured for cigarette manufacture. Despite 
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