<strong>China: County Successful in Developing Model Tobacco Agriculture Zone</strong>

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online 06/25/2013

Shaoyang County in south central China's Hunan Province has been successful in developing a model tobacco agriculture zone, which is expected to produce 16,000 dan (800 tons) of leaf tobacco and generate nearly 20 million yuan (3.2 million U.S. dollars) in sales income this year, including 4.4 million yuan (709,670 U.S. dollars) in taxes and profits.

According to data released by Shaoyang County Tobacco Office on June 16, local tobacco growers in the model tobacco agriculture zone are expected to gain more than 15 million yuan (2.4 million U.S. dollars) in income from tobacco production this year.

In efforts to promote sustainable development of tobacco agriculture, Shaoyang County has invested nearly 100 million yuan (16 million U.S. dollars) in developing the model tobacco agriculture zone with high standards.

The model tobacco agriculture zone covers six villages in the southwestern part of Tangtianshi Township in Shaoyang County. As approved by competent government authorities including the local tobacco monopoly administration, the total investment in the development of the model tobacco agriculture zone will exceed 100 million yuan (16 million U.S. dollars), which includes the construction of irrigation facilities, tractor paths, new rural areas and other comprehensive support projects for tobacco production.

This year, the acreage of tobacco in the zone stands at 6,500 mu (433 hectares).

The project of developing the model tobacco agriculture zone started in 2012. So far, land preparation for the project has reached 2,400 mu (160 hectares). A total of 70 intensive curing barns in two groups have been newly built. Modern tobacco seedlings development mills with support facilities to the tune of 6,000 square meters in two sites have been built. One specialized cooperative of tobacco growers has been established. Tobacco field irrigation channels to the tune of 11.8 kilometers have been built. Twenty-three tobacco field tractor paths to the tune of 35 kilometers have been built. As a result, the model tobacco agriculture zone has basically realized a modern tobacco agriculture model with the capacity of tractor plowing and draining, and with well-defined plots and mutual connection of irrigation channels. Enditem