A poor tobacco crop in Zimbabwe and an improved quality of flue-cured Virginia and white Burley tobacco in India has brightened the export prospects of the crop from India. If the country produces over 600,000 tonnes of leaf tobacco in 2002, exports of the commodity might rise to around 130,000 tonnes, states a report by John Parker in the Tobacco International.
Due to exports of leaf tobacco to Russia and emerging markets like Belgium, the Netherlands, East Europe, Nepal and Bangladesh, Indian tobacco is in a comfortable position. Added to this, the report says the removal of the crop holiday in Andhra Pradesh will help in increasing the output of the flue-cured Virginia variety and its exports.
Due to the crop holiday last season in Andhra Pradesh, India had lost some of its export market to China, the largest grower in the world. While India