tobacco leaf

" Demand for tobacco products increased rapidly and world tobacco leaf consumption increased by about 2 percent annually between 1970 and 1998, from 4.2 million tons to 6.5 million tons of tobacco leaf equivalent in dry weight. In 1998, over 65 percent of the world total, that is about 4.2 million tons, was consumed in the developing countries and the remaining 2.2 million tons was consumed in the developed countries. The trends over the examined period in developing and developed countries are quite divergent. Consumption in developed countries declined by about 0.2 percent annually while consumption in the developing countries increased at a rate of 3.1 percent annually. Much of the increase in developing country consumption is accounted for by China where consumption increased from a little under 0.7 million tons in 1970 to 2.6 million tons in 2000. The major factors that fuel increasing consumption in developing countries are principally high population and income growth give a strong boost to consumption of tobacco products in developing countries, thus increasing their share in world consumption to 65 percent in 1998. Global production of tobacco leaf increased from 4.2 million tons in 1971 to 5.9 million tons in 1997 in dry weight. Production has been shifting to developing countries. China, with over 35 percent of world production, is the major producer. Although its production declined after a peak in 1997, this decline should be seen as temporary and is mainly due to stock accumulation in the past. Growth is expected to revive."