Black Shank problems in Vuelta Abajo

[El Presidente]

In Auckland Airport, 5:30 am so I thought I would start a few reports.

A concerning point currently in Habanos s.a (you guys are the first to hear about it), is the spread of a disease called (translated) "Black Shank" It has affected up to 10% of the tobacco crop in some regions. It attacks the base of the plant and deprives nutrients from reaching the leaves. It has affected all tobacco strains under cultivation so there is no easy cure. Unfortunately, when found, the land must remain unplanted for one year. This will lead to some supply issues down the track if the disease is not brought under control. It is unfortunate because 2006 was a spectactular growing season with hardly any ill weather.

I will delay the next report until later as miss Dominican Republic 2005 who flew in next to me has requested my assistance in accessing some website.

[JohnnyTex]

» I will delay the next report until later as miss Dominican Republic 2005

» who flew in next to me has requested my assistance in accessing some

» website.

What a tough job.....:-P

[smokum]

» » I will delay the next report until later as miss Dominican Republic 2005

» » who flew in next to me has requested my assistance in accessing some

» » website.

»

»

»

» What a tough job.....:-P

OMG

[Trevor2118]

» I will delay the next report until later as miss Dominican Republic 2005 who flew in next to me has requested my assistance in accessing some website.

Rob, you are unbelivable.......you land on your feet every time.:-D

[jqmunro]

Yes please!

[Wiley]

» » I will delay the next report until later as miss Dominican Republic 2005

» who flew in next to me has requested my assistance in accessing some

» website.

»

» Rob, you are unbelivable.......you land on your feet every time.:-D

no kidding! damn

[DrAlejandro]

great info prez... and good luck with miss domincan ;-)

[Ken Gargett]

why do you people believe these things????

he was probably slumped next to megs and snoring. this forum is the most gullible collection on the planet (on the other hand, i did sit next to the better looking sister of claudia schiffer - works for one of their airlines - on the long flight over, and may i take this opportunity to stress what a wonderful, caring, sensitive nation germany is).

» In Auckland Airport, 5:30 am so I thought I would start a few reports.

»

» A concerning point currently in Habanos s.a (you guys are the first to

» hear about it), is the spread of a disease called (translated) "Black

» Shank" It has affected up to 10% of the tobacco crop in some regions. It

» attacks the base of the plant and deprives nutrients from reaching the

» leaves. It has affected all tobacco strains under cultivation so there is

» no easy cure. Unfortunately, when found, the land must remain unplanted

» for one year. This will lead to some supply issues down the track if the

» disease is not brought under control. It is unfortunate because 2006 was a

» spectactular growing season with hardly any ill weather.

»

» I will delay the next report until later as miss Dominican Republic 2005

» who flew in next to me has requested my assistance in accessing some

» website.

[shrink]

I will delay the next report until later as miss Dominican Republic 2005 who flew in next to me has requested my assistance in accessing some website.

Keep your hand off. All you need is another woman infected with "Black Shank"...

[Tampa1257]

Horrible news about the Black Shank. Hope they care find a way to stop this, because the current 10% growing area will affect several years worth of production causing shortages of cigars, and rising costs.

[habanablue]

» Horrible news about the Black Shank. Hope they care find a way to stop

» this, because the current 10% growing area will affect several years worth

» of production causing shortages of cigars, and rising costs.

glad to see someone actually bring the topic back to cigars...!

[genevapics]

Thanks for the information Rob. Sounds like a nasty disease that could certainly spell trouble, in the years to come, if left unchecked.

What chances do the folks in the industry give of eradicating this disease?

[El Presidente]

» Thanks for the information Rob. Sounds like a nasty disease that could

» certainly spell trouble, in the years to come, if left unchecked.

»

» What chances do the folks in the industry give of eradicating this

» disease?

It is not a new disease. It can be controlled through the resting of fields.

As for Miss DR, she was a delight to talk to. Look forward to seeing you Ken. Need to get those photo's.

[Tampa1257]

Black Shank is a much larger problem than Rob alluded to in his initial post.

Once soil in a field becomes infested with the black shank fungus, it cannot be eliminated, therefore, the disease must be managed every year on a continuing basis.

Black Shank definition & symptoms:

http://www.apsnet.org/education/lessonspla...ank/symptom.htm

Black Shank Management:

http://www.apsnet.org/education/lessonspla...hank/mngmnt.htm

Crop Rotation

Quote:

- Rotation should be the foundation of any black shank management program because the fungus attacks only tobacco. Leaving the field out of tobacco for one or more years will reduce, but not eliminate, this fungus. Any crop can be grown between tobacco crops to reduce the population level of the pathogen.

While this fungus is not unknown to the tobacco industry here in the USA, it means that proper management and rotation of the crops to reduce the risk will result in lower yields.

Black Shank in the USA:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/Tob...004/tdin004.htm

It will be interesting to see how Habanos S.A. deals with this situation. Some people have speculated that this could mean the end of the ultra High End Premium cigars such as the Edición Limitada's and Regional Releases which have provided a huge increase in the over all bottom line profitability for Habanos S.A.; while other such as myself feel the the effects will be felt by the regular production "Bread & Butter" type Habanos that the "Average Joe" purchases and enjoys because Habanos S.A. will not allow the current condition of the crop yield to affect its profitability. So expect increased costs, and lower availability of those Habanos that you enjoy on a daily basis IMHO. For those of you that will be able to swallow the inherent price increase due to limited availability, you could also be looking at reduced quality over the next few years.

[JohnnyTex]

Any crop can be grown between tobacco crops to reduce the population level of the pathogen

What are popular Cuban crops that might be kept in rotation to keep the the pathogen level lower?

Is Ridomil or something similar a possibility for reduction of the pathogen?

How much of an increase in price should we expect in the coming years, or is it still to early to say?

Should I max out my credit now, or give it a while? j/k

Just curious.

[Tampa1257]

» How much of an increase in price should we expect in the coming years, or

» is it still to early to say?

If 10% of the total crop has already been affected, then we would also need to see just how far and wide the fungus has spread. If it levels off at 10%, then logically we could see a reduction of 10% of total yield being produced. Now Habanos S.A. does not want to suffer any loss of revenue or profits, so it is also logical that they will produce certain vitolas that generate higher than normal revenue and profits. The remainder will also result in general price increases due to limited availability.

Another suggestion is that as during the late 90's when there were huge problems with Blue Mold, that we also saw a reduction in certain vitolas and higher production of vitolas that did not use as much leaf.

So this could also have a side effect of making Habanos S.A. re-look at producing smaller ring gauge cigars! and quit making all those "Big Fatties"!

[El Presidente]

Keep in mind Chuck that we are talking about supply effects for cigars rolled 2009/10. 2006 was a record crop so I don't see a huge problem. Much of this has to do with only one hurricane through the season which did little damage.

[Ziggy]

My Grandpa grew tobacco crops in the state of Alabama, he would refer to this as Black Root or Root Rot. It would always affect the crops in low lying areas.

I'm curious, what measures are being taken to isolate or quarantine the infected fields.

Do they disinfect all farm equipment and other vehicles before entering and leaving all fields?

Do they ensure that all workers disinfect their shoes and clothing before entering and leaving all fields?

How do they handle infected crops? Do they burn them, or treat them chemically?

By the way, this does not only affect tobacco, as a teenager, I found that it affects marijuana plants also.:-D

Zig

[El Presidente]

» I'm curious, what measures are being taken to isolate or quarantine the

» infected fields.

» Do they disinfect all farm equipment and other vehicles before entering

» and leaving all fields?

» Do they ensure that all workers disinfect their shoes and clothing before

» entering and leaving all fields?

» How do they handle infected crops? Do they burn them, or treat them

» chemically?

»

» By the way, this does not only affect tobacco, as a teenager, I found

» that it affects marijuana plants also.:-D

»

»

» Zig

Good questions Zig. I know they remove the affected crop and assume they burn it and chemically treat the soil before letting it rest for a year. I will endeavour to find out the process for you.

Just because I wear an Akubra.....doesn't make me a farmer

[stonerpc]

According to the interview with Robania in CA Cuba has more first class land avalible for tabbaco growing than they are using now. But this is from a communist country! Habanos S.A should put the money up to accumulate a large stock of leaf - it's worth it's wieght in gold, although that could be hard with the price tag they paid. Granted they are doing much better than before. What-ever light up a havana and enjoy:-D

[jqmunro]

Habanos has been stock-piling aged leaf for a while now, and I think a drop in harvest over the next year or two will have to be offset with the use of some of the stores to keep production going. It might result in another price increase though

[Tampa1257]

» Habanos has been stock-piling aged leaf for a while now, and I think a drop

» in harvest over the next year or two will have to be offset with the use of

» some of the stores to keep production going. It might result in another

» price increase though

Interesting, can you site the sources for this information?

[jqmunro]

» » Habanos has been stock-piling aged leaf for a while now, and I

» think a drop

» » in harvest over the next year or two will have to be offset with the use

» of

» » some of the stores to keep production going. It might result in

» another

» » price increase though

»

» Interesting, can you site the sources for this information?

The end of the cigar boom left some room for storing extra tobacco for extended aging as evidenced by this article from the end of 2002...

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Ar...22,1337,00.html

In 2003 there was the production of the Cohiba Seleccion Reserva, the 2005 PSD4 Reserve, and the possible production of Gran Reserva.

The LE line of Habanos are now incorporating tobaccos of at least 2 years old for the filler, binder and wrapper for 2007 and on, as opposed to the original releases that only included aged wrapper. The increasing aged stocks allowed for the production of this sort of cigar.

Now there is the launch of Cohiba Maduro 5 with tobaccos of significant age.

And even recently there is a report that Habanos is general is producing more cigars with aged tobacco

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7022601358.html (half the way down)

The point is over the past 5 years there is a significant acceleration and growth of the production of special cigars with aged tobacco in them.

[Tampa1257]

Perhaps the difference in "Stockpiling" extra leaf and earmarking certain leaf for specific production vitolas is what I was thinking about.

I have known that Habanos was aging certain stocks for use in specific vitolas, but in general having "Stockpiles" just laying around brings a much different idea to the forefront in my opinion. Thats the reason why I asked the sourcing question.

Well, another is that I do not take anything that Cigar Aficionado says as gospel as they have never been known to talk out of both sides of their mouth before.

[Freefallguy]

It’s nice to count on you Rob to keep us informed, Tampa to expound, and Ken to be whinging about not getting the super model.

Yeh, I’m suckin’ up, but I’ve been away too long.