Nyasaland: Early-pulled lower leaves of burley hang in curing barn, 

 while tobacco grows nearby. This burley was raised on European 

 estates by African growers, each with about 2 acres in tobacco. Each 

 built his own curing barn at a total cash cost of around $65 apiece. 



The "Marketing Board" attempts to estimate "trade requirements" and set produc- 

 tion "targets" for tobacco on the Trust Land (African). Targets in 1961 for tobacco pro- 

 duction and sale on Trust Land in Nyasaland were: 



Mil, lbs . 



Southern Division fire-cured 2.5 



Northern Division dark-fired 18 



Northern Division sun/air-cured .5 



Central Division sun/air-cured 2 



Production that year fell short of the target, as output in the Northern Division was 

 only 10.5 nnillion pounds of dark-fired tobacco compared to the target of 18 million 

 pounds. The shortfall was caused partly by weather, but in addition, the number of 

 growers dropped substantially. 



An effort has been made to stabilize prices to growers through a "levy fund." Briefly, 

 the plan appeared to include an estimate of prices the "crop" should bring on an average 

 for the season. Growers then are paid about these "estimated" prices, thus helping a 

 grower receive such a price, even if his tobacco reached the market on a "bad" day. 



As the 1959 crop of dark fire-cured in the Northern Division of Nyasaland contained 

 a high proportion of low-quality leaf, a poor market developed. It was then announced 

 that 5 million to 6 million pounds would be destroyed because of low quality and poor 

 demand; as a result, prices strengthened when supplies were reduced. 



The Marketing Board acquired a surplus from the trading in sun/air-curedtobacco 

 and in the Southern Division in fire-cured, this situation helped limit the season's loss to 

 about $1.1 million. 



Africans on Trust Land have produced approximately three-fourths of Nyasaland' s 

 total tobacco production. The balance is produced on non- African estates, usually by 

 European owners. Tobacco is often produced on the estates under a tenant systenn. 



There is no system for subsidies or price stabilization for the tobacco produced on 

 the "estates" operated by Europeans or other non- Africans. 



Burley tobacco and Turkish-type tobaccos are sold on the auctions (Limbe), as are 

 the other types. 



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