Tobacco: The original habitat and areas of deployment
Tobacco cultivation is one of the most important pillars in any national economy. Countries cultivate this type of plant because of its great support to their local economy.
Historically speaking, tobacco was used for the first time by Mayas tribesmen who transferred it to northern America Indigenous people, using it in their religious rituals, and named it YETL. in 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered tobacco in America. It was spread in most countries of the world through the Spanish and Portuguese. Tobacco reached China, Japan and West Africa in the second half of the 16th century, whereas It extended to all parts of the world during the 17th century.
Therapy by Tobacco
Before Europeans arrival to Central and Southern America, genuine inhabitants were healing head and chest pains by tobacco, believing that it could heal from all pains. Moreover, when tobacco reached Europe, Asia and Africa; the belief about its curing effects extended to those countries. Consequently, they also used tobacco for medical purposes .
In Spain, it was believed that tobacco is a magical plant that cures all diseases. They used tobacco’s leaves in medical treatment.
In Arab world, therapy by tobacco dates back to the early 10th hijri. Some showing enthusiasm for tobacco’s therapeutic properties, wrote many books about its benefits, claiming that it may cure many diseases and boost defense strength. Whereas facts shows the opposite, tobacco does not cure diseases, more over it is a principle cause in many of them, it even accelerates man’s end.
Tobacco is grown in different environments in 120 countries. The best Tobacco comes from the United States, China and the Mediterranean basin countries. In 1999, tobacco planted surface reached 4.606 million hectares in the world, 45 thousand hectares of which are planted in the Arab world, 15 thousand hectares of them are in Syria. The global tobacco production achieved 7.085 million tons during that year; 61 thousand tons of which were in the Arab world and the other 23 thousand tons were achieved in Syria scoring the first place in the Arab world in tobacco cultivation and production.
Tobacco Cultivation in Syria
Tobacco cultivation is one of the strategic crops in Syria since it employs a large numbers of peasants and farmers, as well as providing national factories with the best kinds of tobacco. It also contributes significantly in meeting the local and neighboring countries market needs. Syrian tobacco enjoys high quality features that ensured a good reputation abroad and snatches the international ISO certification for 2003.
It is known that the Syrian coastal villages are the places for tobacco cultivation.
Over three centuries Lattakia was known for the cultivating, manufacturing and exporting tobacco to all parts of the world. Currently, it is branded in Europe and America as “Lattakia tobacco”.
However, recently lack of tobacco cultivation has been noted, since most villages growing tobacco turned to plant their lands with other crops that do not need a big effort.
“Those plants reduce effort and fatigue for farmers yet yielding more; unlike tobacco cultivation, which demands several stages starting from planting the seedlings then picking and arranging them in a step to be exposed to the sun and eventually placing them in canvas bags. Besides the price of tobacco which is always disappointing and not equal to the exerted efforts.” one of the farmers said.
Amal Farhat