Burley, second most planted tobacco variety cultivated in South Brazil, com-
ing only after Virginia, experienced a slight recovery in the producing regions in the
2016/17 growing season. After some years with a sharp drop in the number of grow-
ers and, in consequence, in volume, in the past season, according to estimates by
the Tobacco Growers’ Association of Brazil (Afubra), 28,930 families were involved
with the activity, responsible for a crop of 80,410 tons of Burley. In the 2013/14 crop
year, 33,580 families grewBurley, with a harvest of 96.5 thousand tons. Over the fol-
lowing years, thenumber of families involvedwith this cropdropped to29,790 in the
2014/15 growing season and to 26,670 in 2015/16.
According to the president of the association, Benício Albano Werner, the con-
tinued decline is blamed on the concern of the farmers regarding the uncertainty of
the future of this type of tobacco. A fact that stems froma resolution by the National
HealthSurveillanceAgency (Anvisa), launched in2012, banning thepresenceof a list
of substances in tobacco based products sold in Brazil. If implemented, this resolu-
tionwouldmake it unviable to produce Burley, which is used in American Blend cig-
arettes, the most consumed in Brazil. The fact is, this type of tobacco requires addi-
tives to replace natural elements, which are lost during the curing stage.
“Asthisquestionisstillwaitingforafinaldecision,andcertainlyallBurleystockshave
declinedatthecompanies,theindustrybeganagaintoencouragetheproductionofthis
tobacco”,heexplains.TheofficialrecallsthattheSupremeCourthasnotyetanalyzedle-
gal suit 4874, filedby theNational Industry Federation (CNI) to stopAnvisa’s resolution–
whosetargetsarecigaretteswitharomaandflavor.Inpractice,however,theimpactfrom
the agency’s resolution could go far beyond this, as several additives added to the com-
ponents of the cigarettes performother functions, like conservation, protection against
humidityorthecorrectionofdistortionsbetweenthesugarandnicotinelevels.
While no final decisions are taken, burley cultivations continue in the states where
they are produced. In Rio Grande do Sul, main producer, the biggest producing regions
are Central-Sierra, Vale do Jaguari andNortheast. In RioGrande do Sul there are 13,750
curve
Burley tobacco producing regions resume the
productionof this type of tobacco, whose future
remains uncertainby virtue of Anvisa’s resolution
Ascending
small-scale farmers that produce Burley, and they
cultivate an area of 21,470 hectares in the 2017/18
crop year. The volume is projected to reach 42,375
tons, with average productivity rates of 1,974 kilo-
grams per hectare. In Santa Catarina (inWest), there
are10,210small-scalefarmersthatproducethistype
oftobacco,withanestimatedareaof11,340hectares,
whileinParaná(alsoinWest)thereare4,690growers
and6,780hectaresdevotedtothecrop.
28,930 families
grow Burley in South
Brazil in the 2016/17
growing season
Inor Ag. Assmann
24
LESS LABOR
The production of Burley tobacco in Brazil
started in the 1970s, as an alternative to Galpão
Comum tobacco, first type of tobacco cultivat-
ed in Brazil, “Burley is tobacco enhanced by re-
search, just like Virginia, which originated in the
State of Virginia, United States”, explains Afubra
president Benício Albano Werner. The produc-
tive process of both, nonetheless, is totally differ-
ent. Burley stalks are cut and then hung in sheds,
where they are left drying for approximately 50
days, then the leaves are removed and graded.
“Burley is not as labor-intensive as Virginia. It
makes it possible for the farmers to devote time
toother activities, especiallynowadayswith tech-
nology-oriented farms”, says thepresident. As the
production cost is smaller, especially on account
of less labor involved, prices fetched by this type
of tobaccoareequally smaller –approximatelyR$
7.85 per kilogram in the 2016/17 crop year, while
Virginia tobacco reached an average price of R$
8.77 per kilogram.
BURLEY NOBRASIL
BURLEY IN BRAZIL
Estimativa da produçãonacional de tabacoBurley, safra 2016/17
ESTIMATE OF THE NATIONAL BURLEY TOBACCO PRODUCTION, 2016/17 CROP YEAR
Estado
Famílias
Área Produção Produtividade Valor*
produtoras (hectares)
(t)
(kg/ha)
(R$/Kg)
RioGrande do Sul
14.030 21.600 43.950
2.035
7,79
Santa Catarina
10.210 11.450 24.540
2.143
7,71
Paraná
4.690
6.890 11.920
1.730
8,39
Total
28.930 39.940 80.410
2.013
7,85
Fonte:Afubra – *Arredondamentoestatístico.
Burley is not as labor-
intensive as Virginia. It
makes it possible for the farmers
to devote time to other activities,
especially nowadays with
technology-oriented farms.”
BenícioAlbanoWerner,
presidentedaAssociaçãodosFumicultoresdo
Brasil(Afubra)
