 |
 |
 |
 | 
 |
Work starts in the burning heat of June and July, and continues without respite for nine months.
Different fields are planted at different times so as to spread the burden of work in each season. The time from planting the seed to completion of harvest is around 19 weeks for shade-grown plants, and 16 weeks for sun-grown. |
 |
Tobacco plants flourish in the loosest possible soil, so fields must be ploughed very carefully in a certain pattern to a certain depth several times before planting. Animal traction is still used, so as not to compact the soil. |
 |
Seedlings are grown in special seedbeds, with a covering of straw for protection.
Some are now grown by a new method, in floating polystyrene seed containers sheltered inside plastic-clad ‘tunnels’.
|
 |
After 45 days when the seedlings reach a height of 13-15cm, they are ready to be
planted out. |
 |
Some 18-20 days after lanting out, the soil is banked up around the base of the plant to promote the development of
strong roots. |
 |
As each plant reaches the desired height, the top bud is removed to concentrate growth on the development of larger leaves. |
 |
Removing the top bud causes an explosion of side shoots. The farmer must make repeated visits to each plant to remove them. |
 |
Around 40 days after planting out, the harvest can begin – a laborious task because each leaf must be picked by hand. Only two or three leaves can be taken at a time, with days to wait between each picking.
The harvesting of a single plant takes close to 30 days to complete. |
| |
| |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |