Cuba - Students Learn Tricks Of The Tobacco Trade

(10 Apr 1995) T/I 10:38:30


STUDENTS LEARN TRICKS OF THE TOBACCO TRADE

Cuba natsot Duration: 1.58"

Not only is tobacco one of Cuba's most popular cash crops, the trade attracts vital foreign investment, especially in Pinar del Rio. This area has produced as much as 600,000 quintales of tobacco a year in the past and though it's struggling to get above half that figure this year, that's still a crucial percentage of the island's economy. Students participate voluntarily in the harvesting of the tobacco plant, learning drying, sticking and rolling and the other tricks of the tobacco trade - the Castro government wants their educated youth to learn about the economy on this first-hand basis. Some 70% of Cuban tobacco comes from Pinar del Rio region, which lies about 165km from Havana. It brought in revenue of some $200 million dollars (US) last year. Spain is particularly keen to invest in Cuba's tobacco industry and is one of the largest buyers of their cigars.

SHOWS:

Unidad Basica de Produccion Cooperativa, Poblado de Ovas:Pinar del Rio region, vs of tobacco plants and students harvesting the leaves: "ensartadoras" women who put the tobacco leaf on thread and set it to dry: vs of tobacco being harvested: vs ofleaves being put on sticks ("cujes") to dry: vs students working with tobacco in the fields, cutting leaves, carrying leaves tocart: Eduardo Soto, economy student from the University of Havana, giving his opinion of the importance of tobacco for the Cuban economy: oxen pulling the tobacco leaves: factory for tobacco in Havana called Miguel Fernando Roig, also called La Corona: Taboada, man who rolls the cigars: box of cigars: man preparing his cigar, lighting it with a piece of cedar wood, so as not to affect the aroma or flavour of the cigar.

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