Tobacco Plants, the Primary Source of Income

Published on August 11, 2009 6:08 AM

Smoking ban affected the most tobacco farmers. For them the tobacco plant is the "bitter plant soaked in sweat and blood". For example southern farmers have begun flocking to the fields to protect their primary source of income with the arrival of the tobacco harvesting season.

Tobacco plant predominantly grows in south Lebanon where it represents the main source of in­come for around 16,500 families.
The history of the tobacco plant in Lebanon remains unknown, because some saying that Italians first introduced the plant to the country in 1598, while others suggest that it arrived during the reign of Emir Fakhr al-Din II in 1625.

In our days almost 25,000 Lebanese families earn their living from the tobacco plant, working over 10 million square meters of land for an annual income for each family of about $2,400. Nevertheless, southern farmers are now demanding an increase in the allowed annual production rate from 5 million kilograms per year to 7 million kilograms, as well as a hike in tobacco prices. They are also asking to benefit from the National Social Security Fund and to have their farming licenses renovated.

In Lebanon farming licenses are necessary for harvesting tobacco and they are issued by the country’s Tobacco authority. Some farmers resort to cutting licenses but are then forced to pay the license holder half their goods only to use the other half to cover agricultural needs.

Farmer Hassan Nasser complained that tobacco growing was the job of poor unemployed people, adding that at the end of the day, all the hard work doesn’t pay off.

Hassan Fakih, president of the Trade Union of Agriculture and Tobacco, said: "The Lebanese tobacco au­thority is expected to purchase 16 new electric machines that will help the farmers and limit child labor".

Members of the same family usually work together for to cultivate the tobacco plants and help with the harvest. Families find it difficult to cultivate any other type of crop supposing the specific nature of the soil required for the tobacco plant.