The Tobacco Industry in Puerto Rico

Excerpts from the report: Tobacco is now Puerto Rico's second ranking crop, whether measured by the value of production or of exports. It is exceeded only by sugarcane. Its economic importance extends beyond the cash income to producers because of the large number of people employed in its manipulation, which work is somewhat seasonal. From the time the grower delivers his crop until it is finally exported or manufactured the tobacco goes through from 10 to 20 operations, one bundle or hand at a time—in some operations, one leaf at a time. Tobacco produced is of a cigar-filler type, although small quantities are used in the manufacture of cigarettes and roll chewing tobacco. The sections producing it and the tobacco grown therein are classed as coastal, semicoastal, and interior. Tobacco from the semicoastal and interior districts is classed as cigar filler, while that from the coastal district is a chewing type, only a small percentage of it—mostly boliches—being useable for smoking purposes. Production of tobacco and manufacture of cigars were greatly stimulated by the removal of American tariff barriers, following the war of 1898. The States became the most important outlet for manufactured and unmanufactured tobacco grown on the island. The trend in recent years has been toward a moderate increase in the shipments of unmanufactured tobacco to the States, accompanied by decreased shipments of cigars. The manufacture of cigarettes for domestic consumption has almost disappeared as a result of the competition of blended cigarettes from the mainland.