Tobacco production: prestige, discipline and commitment (+photos).
Cuban tobacco is much more than a crop: it is one of the country’s main exports, internationally recognized for its quality and prestige.
Its contribution is crucial to the national economy and reaffirms the agricultural identity of our island. In Pedro Betancourt, this strategic sector finds one of its strongest bases.
Producers, cooperatives, and local entities sustain the tobacco campaign with discipline and commitment, aware that each leaf harvested strengthens Cuba’s presence in international markets and ensures direct benefits for the community.
Norlan Hernández Rosell, general director of the Matanzas Tobacco Collection and Processing Company, has emphasized that the success of the crop depends on the organization and technical support that producers receive.
Under his leadership, the company coordinates agricultural and processing methods with a comprehensive approach that seeks efficiency and consistency at every stage.
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The executive emphasizes that these actions not only translate into better production results, but also into more favorable conditions for those who work the land.
The infrastructure is improved, resources are optimized, and the link between producers and the company is strengthened, consolidating the campaign as a collective effort.
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To ensure the continuity of production cycles and respond efficiently and sustainably to market needs, the Matanzas Tobacco Collection and Processing Company is implementing a development program focused on agricultural, pre-industrial, and industrial processes through 2035.
According to Deputy Director Yaneisy Valdespino Arbolaes, the future of the tobacco industry rests on the strength of the new generations and their technical training, factors that will allow for the consolidation of the sector’s efficiency and sustainability in the province.
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The planned actions include identifying areas with favorable water conditions, improving and optimizing soil management, modernizing tobacco processing facilities, and incorporating photovoltaic energy into pumping stations.
All of this is accompanied by an economic and financial evaluation aimed at reducing costs and increasing efficiency, with particular attention to higher-value export products.
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Recent visits to tobacco farms in Jovellanos, Perico, Martí, Jagüey Grande, and Los Arabos have confirmed the vitality of the tobacco campaign.
In each area, concrete progress is evident, ranging from the development of seedbeds and land preparation to the construction of barns and the successful planting of new areas, with producers contributing discipline and perseverance to the process.
Cooperatives, families, and local organizations are integrated into a movement that not only guarantees the continuity of the crop but also reaffirms the role of Pedro Betancourt and the Athens of Cuba in national tobacco production, with a focus on maintaining quality and prestige in international markets.
Cuban tobacco faces an increasingly demanding international economic landscape, where quality must be accompanied by sustainability and traceability. Therefore, current campaigns are committed to clean technologies, renewable energy, and responsible soil management.
The result is a product that not only competes on prestige, but also projects an image of a country committed to innovation and environmental stewardship.
Photos: Provided by the interviewees.
Written by Yadiel Barbón.
