Prospects 



There are a great many variables influencing future tobacco production in Northern 

 Rhodesia, as the country withdraws from the Federation and its government operates as 

 an independent unit. 



An appraisal for flue-cured involves the fact that production has ranged between 

 10 nnillion and 17 miillion pounds and has come from European farnns, with all marketed 

 through the auction sales in Salisbury except for that portion produced in the Northeastern 

 part. 



If the new government in Northern Rhodesia should pernnit production and nnarketing 

 of flue-cured to continue in the present manner, production may change relatively little. 

 Areas like the Mkushi Block offer opportunities for expansion. If, on the other hand, the 

 government should attempt to shift production of flue-cured to snnall farms operated by 

 Africans, there would probably be a shortage of people with the "know-how" for efficient 

 production, and of capital available for small growers to get started. It must be kept in 

 mind that average yields under the present system have been about 200 pounds per acre 

 less than in Southern Rhodesia; this takes away some of the incentive for any expansion. 

 Should Northern Rhodesia attempt to organize its own tobacco auctions and export pro- 

 motion program, it will face many problenns and difficulties. 



As mentioned elsewhere in this paper, officials and tobacco extension specialists 

 look to culture of burley to hold some pronnise for individual African farmers. Tobacco 

 specialists there have started their programi for expansion in burley production. Cultural 

 methods and practices are being taught to growers, plans for barn construction and curing 

 procedures are also being discussed with the growers. 



These and other factors indicate that there may be significant expansion in burley in 

 Northern Rhodesia. 



The future of the production of turkish-type tobacco will depend a great deal on the 

 world supply and price and on the willingness of African families to perfornn the large 

 amount of hand labor this type requires for production. 



NYASALAND 



The character of Nyasaland tobacco production differs considerably from that of the 

 Rhodesias in participation of so many small African producer s, in terms both of numbers 

 and also of volume of tobacco produced. (These African farmers grow the bulk of the 

 fire-cured tobacco, and are credited with producing over three-fourths of total Nyasaland 

 tobacco output.) 



There are 40,000 to 65,000 African farmers registered to grow fire-cured, with both 

 the number of actual growers and volume of production varying widely from year to year 

 (Total fire-cured produced by Nyasaland has ranged from 15 million pounds to 34 million, 

 in recent years). In 1961, approximately 6,000 African farmers also grew about 3.7 

 million pounds of sun-cured tobacco from about 13,000 acres. However, only a few 

 African farms produce flue-cured. 



By contrast, European-owned farms produce about 3 million pounds of flue-cured, 

 an estimated 3 million to 10 million pounds of fire-cured, 2 million to 7 million pounds 

 of sun-cured, and increasing amounts of burley type (over 4 million pounds in 1962) each 

 year. In addition, Nyasaland produces varying small quantities of Turkish-type tobacco, 

 amounting to 60,000 pounds for the 1958-59 season, 234,000 pounds for 1959-60, and 

 104,000 in 1963. 



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