<strong>China: Tobacco Fields in Xuanwei Hit Hard by Hailstorm</strong>

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online 08/29/2013

Tobacco fields in Xuanwei City of southwest China's tobacco-producing Yunnan Province were hit hard by a devastating hailstorm on August 15, with leaf tobacco crops that have entered the season of harvesting and curing severely damaged and shattered about everywhere.

The areas hit the hardest were the townships (including urban sub-districts) of Reshui, Luoshui, Wude, Banqiao, Xining, Laibin, etc.

According to initial estimates, the tobacco fields sustaining serious losses in the disaster totaled 15,064 mu (1,004 hectares), with 5,580 mu (732 hectares) registering a total crop failure. The area of tobacco fields sustaining losses by 80 percent stood at 54 mu (3.6 hectares), 70 percent at 590 mu (39 hectares), 60 percent at 1,010 mu (67 hectares), 50 percent at 1,270 mu (85 hectares) and 40 percent or lower at 3,310 mu (221 hectares).

After the disaster took place, the local tobacco monopoly administration attached great importance to the work of fighting the disaster and extending relief. Manager Qin Qingkui and other leaders of Xuanwei City Tobacco Subcompany rushed to the scenes of the disaster to check the situation of damage, extend relief to the local residents and guide the disaster areas to do a good job of post-disaster production and self-salvation.

The local insurance company, after receiving reports on the disaster, sent groups of leading personnel to the scenes of the disaster to check the situation of damage in actively making preparation for settling claims.

Presently, the various work of disaster relief is underway in an orderly manner. Enditem