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The founding of the Cartel of Bulgarian United Tobacco Manufacturers
in 1911 initiates the development of the tobacco industry.
By 1921 Oriental tobacco production in the country reached
50 thousand tons, produced by some 125 thousand tobacco growers.
During that time period tobacco export increased from 1.5
per cent to almost 50 per cent of the total Bulgarian export.
Tobacco production
The 1924 tobacco crop of 50 thousand tons of tobacco was
allocated by the following tobacco regions:
- South-western Region ( currently Macedonian Tobacco Region
) - 9 172 tons;
- Southern Bulgarian Region ( currently the tobacco production
region including Ustina, Sredna Gora zone, Harmanli, Svilengrad
and Haskovo) - 22 208 tons;
- Rodope -Thracian Region ( currently varieties Djebel -
Basma, Krumovgrad and Topolovgrad ) - 11 620 tons;
- Northern Bulgarian Region - 6 500 tons.
The 1924 Greek crop was 49 500 tons, produced in the following
tobacco regions:
- Xanti, Yaka and Ova - 3 000 tons;
- Zihna - 1000 tons;
- Drama, Seres, Kavala - 7 500 tons;
- Macedonia and Thessaloniki - 5 000 tons;
- Agrinion and Samos - 3 500 tons;
- Other, including the islands - 26 000 tons.
Tobacco production in Turkey in 1924 amounted to 64
000 tons, allocated by tobacco regions as follows:
- Samsun - Trapezund Region - 18 000 tons;
- Izmir - Bursa Region - 11 000 tons;
- The Sea of Marmara Region - 17 000 tons;
- Smirna - 18 000 tons.
The above information shows that natural resources of Bulgaria
at that time made Oriental tobacco production comparable with
Greece and Turkey.
Tobacco growing had already won recognition as one of the
major agricultural sectors in Bulgaria at the end of 1927
- 1929. Since then tobacco growing varied depending on the
market situation.
More recently in the period 1960 - 1989 the average annual
tobacco production in the country amounted to 140 thousand
tons, including 120 thousand tons of Oriental tobacco.
Nowadays Bulgarian climatic conditions and human resources
allow production of approximately 130 thousand tons, including
90 - 100 thousand tons of Oriental tobacco, allocated by varieties
/ regions as follows:
The above figures illustrate the potential of Bulgarian tobacco
production when market situation is favourable.
Human Resources
In 1989 when a great number of ethnic Turks, mainly tobacco
growers, left Bulgaria tobacco production dropped by approximately
40 per cent. During the last years the number of tobacco growers
in the country varies and currently is about 55 thousand households
( compared to 230 thousand up to 1989 ). Still not less than
400 thousand people make their living growing tobacco.
The analysis of the official information on tobacco production
in the last eight years shows that the number of the Bulgarian
tobacco producers is slightly increasing
In 1993 the average annual production of Oriental tobacco
was 495 kilograms per contract (producer and his household
) and in 1997 the above figure was 605 kilograms per contract.
This increase was achieved without any state subsidy. Due
to this fact the Bulgarian tobacco farmer nowadays is forced
to lower his production cost ,using less fertilisers and chemicals.
Applying traditional agricultural practices the tobacco produced
is more natural and ecologically pure.
The above mentioned figures point out the human resources
available but the 1999 and 2000 tobacco crops being at the
level of 38 thousand tons(including 25 thousand tons of Oriental),
only reflect the market demand for Bulgarian cigarettes and
tobaccos.
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