Agriculture and Environment: Commodities

Table of Facts: Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum, N. rustica)

Production
Area Under Cultivation - 4.2 Million ha
Global Production - 6.8 Million MT
Average Productivity - 1,610 kg/ha
Producer Price - $2,985 per MT
Producer Production Value - $20,299 million

International Trade
Share of World Production - 83%
Exports - 5.6 million MT
Average Price - $ 4,969 per MT
Value - $ 28,017 Million

Principal Producing Countries/Blocs
(by weight)
China, India, Brazil, United States, Zimbabwe, Turkey

Principal Exporting Countries/Blocs
Brazil, United States, Zimbabwe, China, Italy, Turkey

Principal Importing Countries/Blocs
Russia, Germany, United States, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Japan

Major Environmental Impacts

• Habitat conversion
• Soil erosion and degradation
• Agrochemical use
• Deforestation for drying tobacco
• Waste

Potential to Improve

• Poor
• Most production shifting to developing countries where there is less ability to influence production practices
• Buyers have little interest in sustainable production
• Few alternatives to wood-based energy and paper use in many countries
• Focus is on stopping smoking, not making production sustainable
  

Source: FAO 2002. All data for 2000.