Artisanal Tobacco Industry Shows Sparks Of Potential In Puerto Rico

Source from:  NBCNews.com 08/21/2019

RíO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — On an island that imports over 80 percent of the food it consumes, Francisco Castro aspired to have his own farm, where he could grow fruits and vegetables that are 100 percent free of pesticides and chemicals.

His vision came to life five years ago when he founded HidrOrgánica. He now sells the produce he grows to local residents, restaurants and Freshmart, a chain of organic grocery stores on the island.

“He who controls the seeds controls life,” Castro, 29, said.

Hurricane Maria brought devastation to Puerto Rico in 2017, destroying most of the island's crops. But Castro saw an opportunity to expand his farm's operation to include tobacco.

“After Hurricane Maria, there was a great food crisis,” he said. “It became a national security issue. We believe in this model of farming that’s ecological and helps the community."

With tobacco, Castro said, "we hope to create jobs on the farm but also through the entire process, from distribution, to sales, to exports.”

Castro’s idea to expand into the tobacco business came after his brother, Antonio, 37, lost his job as a personal trainer after the storm destroyed the gym he worked at.

Antonio met Walter Fernández, 39, who works at his parent’s business, Cigar House, in Old San Juan at an art event. From there, a partnership was born.

Fernandez and the Castro brothers are artists and farmers with an interest in tobacco and cigars.

In 2018, they combined their talents to found El Club del Turro, English for “Cigar Club.”

They’re in the first stages of harvesting and storing tobacco leaves, with hopes of making El Club del Turro cigars to sell.

Tobacco on the island didn’t used to be controlled by small farmers. From 1907 to 1917, tobacco was a top three cash crop along with sugar and coffee. From 1921 to 1940, tobacco was Puerto Rico’s second-leading export, according to Jorge Duany, author of “Puerto Rico: What Everyone Needs to Know.”

That changed with industrialization, according to Maribel Martínez Delgado, who promotes the culture and history of the town of Caguas, which used to be a major producer of tobacco.

But small Puerto Rican farmers like the Castros are trying to get the tobacco industry up and running again.  Enditem