Cuba buying Tobacco from elsewhere?

[Pantomimehorse]

Over the last year Ive seen various people on forums talking about rumours of Cuba buying tobacco from other countries so they soon will no longer be puros.

I really doubt this but thought I would ask on here, has anyone ever heard of this? is there and proof or a source for this ruimour? it sounds like something a NC brand salesman would make up to me

 

[smokemifugotem]

Yeah seems that it has been in rumor mill for past couple of years. Have actually had a couple people with close sources say it is true. Just can't grown nica tobacco in cuba...and guessing they use here and there to enhance certain crops or leafs. As for no more puro...I think that is pretty far fetched. Would expect that they would use it and continue to use it...but would be shocked if it ever went higher than 5 percent of what they export. Just my .02

 

[smokinghole]

I'm not an expert but I don't doubt the rumor one bit. Who cares one way or the other as long as it tastes good right?

 

[strife]

I'm not an expert but I don't doubt the rumor one bit. Who cares one way or the other as long as it tastes good right?

Couldn't have said it better!

 

[Bass man]

I've heard this rumor for at least 5 years. No one mentioning the rumor ever had any documentation, so rumor it is.

 

[Alwayslit]

This has been going around for a long while. I put this in the urban legend catagory.

 

[stogies&hoagies]

Not true. No way. Been a rumor for a long time that was started by tobacco growers in other regions to try to give their tobacco credibility.

 

[gibbleguts]

I am a little divided on this one. First off Cuba can barely afford to buy food for it's people so buying tobacco sounds challenging as well. Second Cigar Afficianado ha a video a while bac of Hiroshi Robaina running a plantation in Equador. What does it all work out to I don't know but we will see

 

[daniyal]

I am a little divided on this one. First off Cuba can barely afford to buy food for it's people so buying tobacco sounds challenging as well. Second Cigar Afficianado ha a video a while bac of Hiroshi Robaina running a plantation in Equador. What does it all work out to I don't know but we will see

Don Alejandro took special permission from the Cuban government to buy a tobacco farm in Equador and put Hiroshi in charge of setting it up. Could simply be Robaina protecting his brand and keeping Altadis from ripping it off like it has with other Cuban marcas. FWIW the rumor supports itself by arguing that the island can't possibly produce the quantity of tobacco to roll out the number of cigars it does on an annual basis. I disagree of course I think the island can produce a lot more tobacco than it does at the moment.

 

[hdlr]

I highly doubt this is true.

 

[BrandonP]

Just a side note here, Altadis owns half of Habanos S.A. so I wouldn't call it ripping off Cuban marcas. They are technically theirs to begin with.

Don Alejandro took special permission from the Cuban government to buy a tobacco farm in Equador and put Hiroshi in charge of setting it up. Could simply be Robaina protecting his brand and keeping Altadis from ripping it off like it has with other Cuban marcas. FWIW the rumor supports itself by arguing that the island can't possibly produce the quantity of tobacco to roll out the number of cigars it does on an annual basis. I disagree of course I think the island can produce a lot more tobacco than it does at the moment.

 

[BEN(SWEDEN)]

Not true. No way. Been a rumor for a long time that was started by tobacco growers in other regions to try to give their tobacco credibility.

Well said!!

 

[darkman]

I can tell you that a very close friend was in a Nicaraguan factory and saw with his own eyes tobacco being shipped to Cuba. Can't tell you what for, but I trust this person whole heatedly.

 

[aquarich]

I can tell you that a very close friend was in a Nicaraguan factory and saw with his own eyes tobacco being shipped to Cuba. Can't tell you what for, but I trust this person whole heatedly.

"Whole heatedly"?

 

[darkman]

Auto correct. Dik. Heartedly.

 

[Jfire]

Cuba has been slowly DECREASING production. Why? So that it can import at a higher cost???? That's what I would do if I were broke!!!!! Add to that CC vendors who state they have seen wharehouses stocked with cured tobacco. It's my guess why CCs are MUCH more approachable then even a few years ago..... Also guys I'm think Habanos once again had their worse year in sales in 2011 in decades..... Again!

 

[Pooh Bore]

I must do my bit and persuade SWMBO to holiday in Cuba twice a year !

 

[aquarich]

Cuba has been slowly DECREASING production. Why? So that it can import at a higher cost???? That's what I would do if I were broke!!!!! Add to that CC vendors who state they have seen wharehouses stocked with cured tobacco. It's my guess why CCs are MUCH more approachable then even a few years ago..... Also guys I'm think Habanos once again had their worse year in sales in 2011 in decades..... Again!

Call me simple, but what does that have to with whether they are using non-Cuban tobacco in their sticks? :stickbeat

 

[gibbleguts]

Just a side note here, Altadis owns half of Habanos S.A. so I wouldn't call it ripping off Cuban marcas. They are technically theirs to begin with.

Maybe but I would say General owns as many brands as atatdis maybe more and have no ties to Habanos. The worst offence is the Cohiba brand for which there is no excuse other then the american government letting it go because of not recognizing cuban TM's

 

[gibbleguts]

Call me simple, but what does that have to with whether they are using non-Cuban tobacco in their sticks? :stickbeat

Cigars aren't selling like they used to so more available tobacco. Cuba is poor, really poor as a nation and importing tobacco that they could use out of thier own crops would be cheaper then buying outside of the country