Local cigarette manufacturers didnot require a great deal of Madagascar- 
grown light tobacco, This was attributed partly to high prices of Maryland 
tobacco, and absence of any obligation imposed on local manufacturers to 
use local tobaccos, as well as the ease of importing foreign tobaccos,. 
The expansion of dark tobacco production has now practically stopped. 
The small grower plants tobacco first for his family consumption, then 
for what is reported to be illegal private sale, and lastly for delivery to the 
S.E.1.T.A, Mission or market. In the Ambatolampy area, it is reported there 
are about 2,250 of these small growers, and they deliver only an average 
30 to 40 kilos a year (66 to 88 pounds) to the Mission or market, 
Today, the area of greatest tobacco production is the Tsiribihina River 
Basin region in an area including Miandrivazo., Over 99 percent of tobacco 
production in this areahas beencarriedonby the colonists, Tobacco acreages 
there are often large; for instance, one plantation visited by the writer grows 
371 acres of tobacco on fertile bottom land, mostly of Maryland type. This 
particular plantation is also growing small acreages of burley and Virginia 
on a trial basis. It is reported that the burley yields are 1,250 pounds per 
acre, Virginia 1,070 pounds per acre, and Maryland about 283 pounds per 
acre, 
On this particular plantation, many tenants grow the tobacco; there is 
approximately one tenant for every 0:6 acre. These tenants have pasturage 
and food production areas in the higher hillland, which is more abundant than 
the bottom land. 
This region, and the Majunga region around Ambato-Boeni (Betsiboka 
River Basin) and Port-Bergé (Sofia River Basin), offer perhaps the best 
opportunities for the expansion of tobacco, 
Table 2.--Summary of Madagascar's tobacco production by area and type, 1962 
* 
Production by type 
Maryland and other Corsé Total 
Geographic A ; production 
eeton District {lea —_|— all 2 
Goncesstone | aniiy-tupe | ComGesstons | rantiy-type | tYPES 
production) production production) production 
1,000 pounds | 1,000 pounds | 1,000 pounds | 1,000 pounds | 1,000 pounds 
West Coast: 
Tsiribihina Basin Miandrivazo, Belo, Mahabo. 3,968 22 -- -- 3,990 
Basins of Betsiboka, Ambato-Boeni, Maevatanana, 
Bemarivo, and Sofia Mampikony, Port-Bergé... 3,087 _ 440 485 4,012 
High Plateau: 
Lake Alaotra Ambatondrazaka.......eee0. 44 265 -- -- 309 
Lake Itasy Soavinandriana..........4. -- 882 -- -- 882 
Miarinarivo, 
Tsiroanomandidy, . 
ANJOZOTODEs ececcccccsece -- -- -- 220 220 
Vakinankaratra Ambatolampy......cceeeeees -- -- -- 198 198 
Antsirabe, 
Ambohimahasoa........... -- -- -- 176 176 
AmbalaV Osc lreleleicisicrelelsisiets ef -- -- -- 508 508 
Total 7,099 1,169 440 1,587 10,295 
pre 
