|
Although Oriental tobacco
has been grown in Thailand since the 1960s, the only variety grown was
Samsun. The Samsun variety had been introduced from Turkey by the Thai
Tobacco Monopoly for domestic consumption based on that fact that it
yielded well under Thai growing conditions. However, once Adams
International began exporting Oriental tobacco in 1975, AIL also began
to investigate ways to improve the crop to meet or exceed export
market requirements. Since the Basma varieties have always been widely
recognized as "the Queen of Tobaccos" and noted for their
aroma and good color, a Basma research program was initiated in 1982.
In that year, Adams regional manager at that time, Kaen Putsri,
visited the Basma regions of Greece and returned with many Basma
varieties. After four years of Basma trials at the company's research
farms, two varieties were selected by representatives of the Philip
Morris Co. for their excellent quality leaf characteristics under Thai
growing conditions. Based on Philip Morris' recommendations, Adams
International began to promote the production Komotini and Xantiyacca
on a large scale among its contract farmers in 1986. The actual
results in terms of metric tons produced, hectare planted, and farmers
is shown in the following table.
| |
Komothini
|
Xanthiyacca
|
|
year
|
tons
|
hectares
|
farmers
|
tons
|
hectares
|
farmers
|
|
1987
|
2
|
5
|
23
|
8
|
13
|
56
|
|
1988
|
63
|
115
|
676
|
83
|
143
|
604
|
|
1989
|
136
|
273
|
1,547
|
275
|
409
|
2,791
|
|
1990
|
463
|
1,063
|
5,919
|
1,197
|
2,209
|
1,1811
|
|
1991
|
160
|
389
|
1,991
|
951
|
1,997
|
10,393
|
|
1992
|
278
|
310
|
2,127
|
1,159
|
1,527
|
8,971
|
|
1993
|
652
|
703
|
4,711
|
2,476
|
2,693
|
17,470
|
|
1994
|
595
|
700
|
3,827
|
1,540
|
1,821
|
11,228
|
|
1995
|
584
|
916
|
4,234
|
1,101
|
1,636
|
9,206
|
|
1996
|
503
|
738
|
3,433
|
1,176
|
1,369
|
7,606
|
|
1997
|
468
|
539
|
2,510
|
1,662
|
1,877
|
9,455
|
|
1998
|
1,000
|
1,244
|
4,265
|
2,510
|
2,890
|
14,853
|
|
1999
|
812
|
894
|
3,859
|
3,048
|
3,455
|
16,490
|
|
2000
|
1,189
|
1,556
|
6,560
|
2,359
|
3,076
|
12,637
|
|
2001
|
1,136
|
1,254
|
3,766
|
1,975
|
2,156
|
10,590
|
|
2002
|
841
|
958
|
3,052
|
1,963
|
2,080
|
8,911
|
|
2003
|
944
|
1,057
|
2,590
|
2,695
|
2,514
|
10,145
|
|
2004
|
1,043
|
945
|
2,578
|
3,162
|
2,548
|
9,960
|
Basma production has been so successful in terms of quality and quantity that it exceeded Samsun in export
tonnage in 1997 and completely replaced Samsun in 2000. Over the years since its introduction in Thailand,
Basma varieties have generally produced lower yields per hectare than Samsun but, at the same time,
produced leaf characteristics far superior to Samsun.
photographs of Basma A1 leaf... |
