NTEL also grows Virginia tobacco. Allocated about 501 hectares, tobacco is grown at the lower estates. Tobacco is an annual crop which requires fresh planting every year. It is a rain - fed crop and is labour intensive. It is “dry” planting. On planting, sufficient water is poured at each planting station. Fertilizer is added to boost the growth of the seedlings. It is repeated several weeks later to help the leaves develop and mature.

BURLEY TOBACCO

Burley tobacco is a light air-cured tobacco used primarily for cigarette production. In the United States it is produced in an eight-state belt with approximately 70% produced in Kentucky. Tennessee produces approximately 20%, with smaller amounts produced in Indiana, North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Burley tobacco is produced in many other countries, with major production in Brazil, Malawi and Argentina.