TOBACCO TOOK A HIT IN JUNE FROM HEAT AND LOW RAINFALL

 

As if the high temperatures and low rainfall weren't bad enough, spotted wilt showed up in June and early July, as here in South Georgia. Photo by J.M. Moore. There's an old poem that begins "April is the cruelest month," This year, for tobacco growers, June seemed much crueler, thanks mainly to historic heat and drought. Reports from the major producing states: FLUE-CURED In North Carolina, intense drought and heat took some of the luster off the very good start that the flue-cured crop in Eastern North Carolina enjoyed earlier (see “A Hot Start To The Harvest Season,” TFN June I). “As optimistic as I was a month ago, I have to admit now that things have declined some,” says Mathew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “We are in the midst of an historic drought, and it is taking its toll. On soils that are very sandy, the bottom leaves are sometimes drying up. We are in dire need of widespread rains.”   But there is still potential for a good middle and upperstalk in Eastern N.C. “We got out of the gate fast which helps," says Vann. "If it rains and we can get the tops out, we still have good prospects. We’ve not had any leaching rains to date, so our fertilizer is still there. The ability to irrigate is already looking like a major benefit this year.” Harvest has barely started in the East, with only one or two percent of the leaf taken in so far, he says. “It’s mostly farmers getting a start to work out the kinks.”   In the N.C. Piedmont, the weather stress is just beginning to show. “As of now, the farmers there seem to have a pretty good crop,” says Vann. In South Carolina, after a couple of weeks of hot and dry weather, most South Carolina farmers got some much-needed rain this past week, and the tobacco has responded well, says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist. Farmers are generally around a week or two from beginning harvest. But it could be delayed because the rains have “greened” the crop back up…As in many states, there was more tomato spotted wilt than last year. Hardee thinks statewide losses are around 10 percent. In Georgia and Florida, some variable rain has fallen, but the crop still needs more. “We would like to have a half inch every two days, and we are not getting it,” says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist. .. Most of the Type 14 crop is topped and has received a couple of sucker control treatments. Harvest has begun in Florida and a few places in Georgia, but the volume is negligible so far. Some delugging is going on also. “We still have hopes of a good crop,” he says. Black shank is appearing all through the tobacco-growing area of Georgia and Florida. It is associated with the high temperatures and low rainfall of the last two weeks. The array of relatively new high resistant varieties from the last 10 years has really helped prevent a major problem, Moore says. New hits of tomato spotted wilt virus are showing up in Georgia, in at least one instance in a field that already had 20 percent incidence of the disease. “In some cases it is spreading up the plant after the first infection,” says Moore. BURLEY AND DARK In Kentucky, there may be a few stragglers who haven’t finished transplanting, but for all practical purposed it is done, says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. “The transplant crop was a little late, but we have had no extended period of wet weather so setting went steadily,” he says. It has been hot and dry in much of the state. "We have seen a few cases of severe transplant shock, but for the most part tobacco crops have fared well. We have the potential for a good crop if we get some rain in the coming days,” he says.  Kentucky has had more tomato spotted wilt than in the last two years. “But it hasn’t risen to the level of a ‘problem’ yet,” he says. Among other diseases, there have been the normal cases of black shank reported. In Tennessee growers have finished transplanting except for those who are resetting, says Mitchell Richmond, Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist. "We could sure use some rain now. We are dry in most of Tennessee now. In a few of our sandier fields we are seeing some sand loss. Where they can, our farmers are irrigating." There is more spotted wilt than normal. “Maybe eight to 10 percent where three would be about normal," says Richmond. "There may be more thrips out there than normal due to the mild winter we had. Or the first flight might have been early." In the Black Patch of western Kentucky and central Tennessee, where transplanting extends relatively late, the weather has slowed setting more than elsewhere. “We would like to have been done with transplanting by June 20, but we had a lot left then that still hasn’t been set (as of July 2),” says Andy Bailey, Kentucky-Tennessee Extension dark specialist. “We are hoping for rain this weekend so we can finish.” A significant portion of the dark fire-cured in the Black Patch area goes in late to facilitate a second use of curing barns, and the weather has really interfered with the schedule of this tobacco. "There has been a lot of stand loss also, and replanting is continuing." Bailey thinks there has probably been some potential production loss already, but with more favorable weather from here on, a good crop could still be achieved. Crop progress through June 12, according to USDA: GA flue-cured, 73% harvested; SC flue-cured, 54% harvested; NC burley, 74% planted; TN, burley and dark, 95% planted; KY, burley and dark, 98% planted.--Source: Crop and Progress Report, NASS-USDA. REPORT FROM OVERSEAS   ZIMBABWE From wood to gas for curing fuel? Zimbabweans search for new source of curing fuel. The Zimbabwean tobacco board said in June that it is urging gas technology companies to partner with it in developing a centralized gas curing facility for flue-cured tobacco. The purpose would be to reduce Zimbabwe’s severe deforestation problem. In addition, the new facility would be large enough for 50 or so farmers to cure tobacco at the same time, the board said. It’s hoped that a pilot project can be in operation in time for the upcoming curing season.   DATES TO REMEMBER ·   The S.C. Tobacco Tour will take place July 12 and 13. It will begin with a dinner in Florence on the 12th and end in Sumter County in the afternoon of the 13th. For more information and to register, email William Hardee at hardee@clemson.edu. ·       The NC State Tobacco Field Day will be held Tuesday, July 26 starting at 9 AM and lasting till 12 PM at the Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Rd, Kinston, NC 28501. For more information, contact Matthew Vann (mcvann@ncsu.edu).  ·  The Southern Piedmont (Va.) Annual Field Day will be held on Thursday, July 28. Registration begins at 4:30 PM, dinner at 5 PM, with a tour following of research trials. VDACS Commissioner Joseph Guthrie will speak. Register at http://tinyurl.com/ ycknwuda. ·       The Kentucky Bluegrass Burley Tour will be held August 10 at a time to be announced at the Spindletop Research Farm in Lexington, Ky. For more information, contact Bob Pearce at rpearce@uky.edu. ·       The Kentucky Dark Tobacco Twilight Tour will be held August 11 at 5:30 PM at the Murray State University West Farm at Murray, Ky. For more information, contact Andy Bailey at 270 625 1560. AND LET'S WRAP UP THE HOLIDAY with a poem submitted by my old friend Donald Fowlkes, who formerly the tobacco specialist with the University of Tennessee Extension Service, later with Philip Morris International and more recently with the Burley Stabilization Corporation. In it, he hypothesizes how a mythical farmer named Hardy Bright, might face the potential end of an era. Read it and let me know what you think.--Chris Bickers.  The Last Tobacco Farmer   He’s living out our history Holding on in spite Of the crusades and contradictions He just loved the life   Hardy Bright is 13th generation Working old Virginia land Growing the crop his ancestors Grew to deeply understand   Takes too many acres now Labor can’t be found Demand and money dwindled Crop left without a sound   Hardy Bright’s a good man Salt of the earth it’s a shame That when he drew the tobacco straw The choosing was calling for change   He won’t get a monument Erected in his honor But old man Hardy Bright Was the last tobacco farmer   His gut pinches in irony As Hardy walks the rows Salvation crop joined the devil Hardy Bright’s not sure that’s so   Something’s missing in this place That begs our common sense It’s more than family farmers Or choice and consequence   Hardy Bright’s a good man Salt of the earth it’s a shame That when he drew the tobacco straw The choosing was calling for change He won’t get a monument Erected in his honor But old man Hardy Bright Was the last tobacco farmer     Donald J. Fowlkes May 2022

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A HOT START TO THE HARVEST SEASON

 

Though the weather was sweltering, the leaf looked great on the Georgia-Florida tobacco tour June 6 through 8. In this picture, carloads drive through a field near Lee, Fla. This particular field may turn out to be the first harvested anywhere this season. Photo: Jennifer Atkins, Marketing Specialist, Virginia Department of Agriculture. A HOT START TO THE 2022 HARVEST SEASON     Despite some dry periods in May and a very hot June, the tobacco looks very good in Georgia and Florida. “We have some beautiful tobacco out there,” says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist. And it is early. “Harvest could begin in the Lee, Fl., area later this week,” he says.” The very early variety PVH 2310 is playing a big part in that earliness.    Water is urgently needed in Georgia and Florida, says Moore, and lower temperatures too--the thermometer readings went from the high 90s to just above 100 degrees from Florida and Georgia to North Carolina. “We are about finished with layby and much of the crop will be reaching flower soon in Georgia," says Moore. "That’s when tobacco plants need water the most.” Irrigation rigs are running full steam.   Two severe wind events forced some growers to go out and set blown-over stalks back up. “Almost all of our tobacco is mechanically harvested so the stalks have to stand straight up,” Moore says.   Spotted wilt makes a comeback. Tomato spotted wilt has been a severe problem again in Georgia after a relatively mild season in 2021, “Many farmers have found areas in their fields with 20 percent plants showing TSWV symptoms. We expect that level of symptoms will lead to a 10% loss in yield. We sure don’t need a loss like that this year.”   It’s too late for spotted wilt control efforts now, but if you applied a foliar spray of Actigard to plants in the greenhouse, you might have reduced the spotted wilt level by around 15 percent. A greenhouse spray of imidacloprid might reduce infection by 35 percent. If both are used it is expected that infection can be reduced by around 50 percent compared to untreated plants.   And there is also more TSWV in South Carolina than in either of the last two years. “We have been seeing around 5 to 10 % on average, and I’ve seen up to 30% in a few fields” says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist.   Brown spot broke out earlier than normal in South Carolina, says Hardee. “It usually appears later in the season. It was probably brought on by the dry weather we had earlier.”   The early flue-cured variety PVH 2310 is helping in S.C. as in Georgia. It lets famers spread out the crop so that it doesn’t all come off at once. "The less time in the field means less time for disease development,” says Hardee.   The crop looks good, but the hot weather coming this week is concerning. “Most areas received good rainfall in the last week, but there are still scattered areas that have missed it. “Some of the crop is a little behind: The later planted tobacco that had to be reset because of dry weather, and some of the tobacco planted on sandier land got off to a slow start." However, layby is nearly done in the Pee Dee.    Crop progress through June 12, according to USDA: Flue-cured--VA, 97% set out. SC, 4% topped. GA/FL, 20% topped. Burley (all %s represent "set out")—KY, 71%. TN, 62. NC, 46%. VA, 90%. Dark—VA, 91%. Source: Crop and Pro gress Report, NASS.   In other tobacco news:   How low is very low when it comes to nicotine? A cigarette that contains extremely low-nicotine levels is being rolled out by its manufacturer, 22nd Century Group. The brand--called VLN (for very low nicotine)—is being marketed in two varieties, VLN Kings and VLN Menthol Kings. A pilot program was successfully conducted in May in Chicago, with most VLNs sold in convenience stores. VLNs are said to contain 95 percent less nicotine than America’s leading brands and are designed to help consumers smoke less. VLN cigarettes are believed to be manufactured in the company's plant in Mocksville, N.C. Watch for more details in a future issue. DATES TO REMEMBER The S.C. Tobacco Tour will take place July 12 and 13, says Hardee. It will begin with a dinner in Florence on the 12th and end in Sumter County in the afternoon of the 13th. For more information and to register, email Hardee at hardee@clemson.edu. Other tours and field days this summer include: The 2022 NC State Tobacco Field Day will be held Tuesday, July 26 starting at 9 AM and lasting till 12 PM at the Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Rd, Kinston, NC 28501. The 2022 Tobacco, Beef, and More Field Day will be held June 30 starting at 8 AM at the UT Highland Rim Research & Education Center in Springfield, TN. The Tobacco Field Day for 2022 will be held August 9 at a time to be announced at the Northeast Tennessee Research & Education Center in Greeneville, TN. The 2022 Bluegrass Burley Tour will be held August 10 at a time to be announced at the Spindletop Research Farm in Lexington, KY. The 2022 Dark Tobacco Twilight Tour will be held August 11 at 5:30 PM at the Murray State University West Farm at Murray, KY.

GOOD START IN EASTERN NC BODES WELL FOR U.S. CROP

 

All eyes on the East: A news cameraman films transplanting in the Eastern Belt of N.C. in this file photo by Christopher Bickers. This year's crop in the East has gotten off to a fine start. The flue-cured crop in the N.C. Eastern Belt is, to Matthew Vann’s eyes, as good at this point in the season as it has been in all his years in North Carolina. “I hope I am not jinxing things, but the stands and uniformity are the best I can remember,” says Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “Despite a couple of cold spells and dry spells in the spring, our tobacco is looking good across the board.” Some areas got as much as four inches of rain last week, but the soil was dry enough that it wasn’t a major problem. “But we still have some dry pockets,” he says. “For example, places in Johnston County and Edgecombe County could still use a good drink.”   All in by June 1? Vann expects 100 percent of the N.C. flue-cured crop will be in the ground by Wednesday and nearly all the other types as well. “A little cigar tobacco remains to be planted and some burley in the mountains,” he says. “But we are substantially finished with the planting phase of this crop.” Next up in the East: Layby, he adds.   One reason for the good start was a very good plant supply in N.C. Earlier, that wasn’t predicted because of a slow start in plantbeds, says Vann. “We were afraid there might be shortages,  but as it turned out, we have plants left over now.” A factor that helped: Very little replanting was needed.   The crop in South Carolina is off to a good start. Transplanting was finished a few weeks ago. “We have good stands and our tobacco is looking good,” says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist. As of May 26, the crop needed rain. Other than that, the only problem so far has been a little tomato spotted wilt virus. “But it is not too bad,” says Hardee. The transplant production season had gone well and plenty of plants were available. Farmers seemed to have planted all the acreage they intended, but those intentions were less than last year because of reductions in contracts   In Kentucky, burley transplanting is proceeding at a good pace, says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. “We may be a bit behind our long-term average through June 1 but there is no need for concern.” He estimated that roughly 50 percent of the state’s burley crop or perhaps more had been transplanted by last Friday.  Transplanting was slowed in part by the conditions in the greenhouse. “Cool temperatures beginning of May and late April lead to a slow start,” he says. “The field conditions were such that we could have planted a little sooner than we did but the plants weren’t ready.” About half the dark tobacco in western Kentucky and Tennessee had been transplanted by May 27. “That includes all of the early dark fire-cured tobacco that is grown so farmers can double crop their barns,” says Andy Bailey, Kentucky-Tennessee Extension dark specialist. “The late crop is still being planted.”  Over the past three weeks up till Memorial Day, farmers here had two weeks of hot and dry weather, then a week with good rain. Problems? There is a little Pythium in the floatbeds, and it has caused some loss. But plant production went well and farmers have enough plants to plant their fields. “But if for some reason there was a lot of replanting, we might run short,” says Bailey.  Dark contracts are up 15 to 20 percent from two years ago, putting perhaps a little pressure on the plant production system. The rush to wrapper production is receding: Some of the appeal of cigar wrapper types for Black Patch farmers seems to be dwindling, at least this year. As reported in TFN’s May I issue, the abundance of dark air-cured and dark fire-cured contracts has suppressed wrapper plantings, since the dark types are generally considered by farmers to be better prospects for profit. What one dealer expects for 2022: In its first projection of U.S. production since the growing season began, Universal Leaf estimated American flue-cured volume at 282.2 million pounds, six percent less than 2021. It estimated American burley at 81.5 million pounds, up 32 percent from its estimate for 2021. Our major competitor—Brazil--was projected by Universal at 1.1 billion pounds for flue-cured, down 12 percent from 2021, and 103.6 million pounds for burley, down six percent. (Source: World Leaf Production May 2022, Universal Corp. Estimates as of May 25).   Don’t forget: You must file a report of planted acreage with your crop insurance agent by the acreage reporting date, which for the following types is July 15: Burley, cigar binder, cigar filler, cigar wrapper, dark air cured, fire cured, and Southern Maryland.   On the move: Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company will move from Oxford, N.C. to Tobaccoville, N.C., as part of parent company Reynolds American’s strategy to “reduc[e] its manufacturing footprint.” Also moving will be Santa Fe’s sister companies American Snuff Company (formerly Conwood), from Winston-Salem to Tobaccoville, N.C., and ASC’s Traditional Oral operations from Memphis, Tn., to Clarksville, Tn.   Planting progress through May 22, according to USDA: Flue-cured--VA, 73%. NC, 87%. SC, 93%. GA/FL, completed. Burley—KY, 30%. NC, 12% VA, 51%. Dark—VA, 55%. Source: Crop and Progress Report, NASS

A GOOD START IN THE FIELD

 

Setting out flue-cured in Eastern NC. File photo by Christopher Bickers. Reports on the crop's progress from selected areas of tobacco production FLUE-CURED The outlook for tobacco in Georgia and Florida is favorable. “We are very hopeful of a good crop,” says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist. “Soil moisture is good, although we could use more rain now.” Transplanting in both states is complete. Much of the crop is approaching layby. Moore is not sure of the acreages in the two states but says Georgia’s plantings are likely to be less than 6,500 in 2022. That would be 17 percent less than the 7,743 acres planted in 2021. In Florida, he thinks plantings will be down 10 percent from 1,691 in 2021 to 1,522 for 2022. Tomato spotted wilt is ramping up. “At this point it appears to be 10 percent or less statewide, but we are seeing some fields with 50 percent infection. That might translate into a 25 percent loss in yield. That would be a big problem for this crop since so many expensive inputs will have already been expended by this time. Budworm control is approaching in Georgia and Florida, and this too needs to be done right. “Besides precision application, you need a good scouting program to determine when to spray without wasting any of your chemicals.” Sucker control is another area for economies, and that’s important because prices appear to be up about 30 percent. “Start on a timely basis,” says Moore. “Use all three means of control: contacts, maleic hydrazide and the orange chemicals.” If you use everything when it needs to be used, good control should be achievable. BURLEY Everything is looking good in Tennessee, says Mitchell Richmond, Extension tobacco specialist. Setting of burley began last week in middle Tennessee and is in full swing there now. Several growers in east Tennessee started planting burley this week. Planting will probably pick up as this week progresses, he says. “I expect most of the crop will be set in the next two weeks. The greenhouse season was good, he said. "Our plants are ready to take to the field. We have had good weather since we began planting.” But Tennesseans across the state will need some water pretty soon.   A cost-saving reminder: Variety selection is the first step in controlling black shank in tobacco. If you are in a field with known black shank, make sure you properly apply transplant water applications of fungicides by following the label. This is no year to be losing any control because of inefficiency.   Plantings so far (from participating states): Flue-cured--VA, 53%. NC, 74%. SC, 80%. GA, 100%. FL, 100%. Burley—KY, 11%. VA, 29%. Dark—VA, 31%. Source: Crop and Progress Report, NASS REPORT FROM OVERSEAS Zimbabwe--Could wheat attract acres out of tobacco? Zimbabwean officials are promoting wheat plantings since imports from Ukraine—a major source of wheat for Zimbabwe—has largely been forced out of the international market. There has been public discussion that at least some tobacco fields could be converted to wheat. Key factor--Many tobacco fields in Zimbabwe have access to irrigation which would be very handy for wheat production.

BURLEY TRANSPLANTING GETS STARTED THIS WEEK

 

Setting out burley in the Bluegrass. File photo by Christopher Bickers. FLUE-CURED NORTH CAROLINA Full-bore: Flue-cured planting has been going “full-bore” for about three weeks now, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. A few fields were planted four weeks ago. Contrary to earlier concerns, there should be no holdups because of scarce plants. “The current transplant supply is good, and I do not foresee any shortages absent something unforeseen happening.” The tobacco transplanted so far looks really good,” he says. ”The weather has largely been very favorable, in spite of a lot of wind and major temperature swings.” There was patchy frost last week, but no substantial damage was reported. “But we could stand a good soaking rain of about one inch.” SOUTH CAROLINA Transplanting is ending in the Pee Dee. “A few are still working at it, but they should be finished soon,” says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist. Stands look good. Up till now, the weather has been good but it is getting dry, he says. BURLEY KENTUCKY Transplanting has only just begun but if the weather holds, more farmers may start this week, says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension specialist. “And transplanting will really get going after Derby Day (May 7).” The greenhouse season has gone smoothly so far, he says. “Plants are a little uneven but there are no major problems.” Pearce doesn’t have an estimate on plantings yet, but he doubts that the earlier USDA estimate of a three percent increase for the state is likely (See TFN April I). “We might see a 10 or 15 percent decrease,” he says. TENNESSEE The planting season may begin in middle Tennessee by the end of this week, says Rob Ellis, director of the Highland Rim AgResearch Center at Springfield, Tn. But it definitely hasn’t started yet. “I have been all over this area and I’ve not seen the first plant in the ground.” The Center hasn’t planted any of its tobacco yet but most of their soil is dry enough that it could be worked now. That wasn’t the case earlier, he says. “It was very wet a few weeks ago. Our corn planting was delayed, but we finished it last week."   A record number of tobacco types will be in tests at the Springfield center this season. In most past years, the types in testing were burley, dark air-cured and fire-cured. In 2021, they added Connecticut broadleaf, and this year they are also testing Pennsylvania seed leaf on a limited basis. The two new types are both cigar wrapper types.  DARK BLACK PATCH   It’s been very wet in the Kentucky-Tennessee dark-producing area this spring and that has delayed ​the start of setting. “I suspect a few dark growers may have ​set a few acres but most are waiting for the soil to get drier.” Bailey says. Dark vs. wrapper? Andy Bailey, Kentucky-Tennessee Extension dark specialist doesn’t think either Connecticut Broadleaf or Pennsylvania Seedleaf--both cigar wrapper types--will see increased plantings this season in western Kentucky and Tennessee. They may indeed experience a​significant reduction, he says, because the major dark ​manufacturer offered a substantial increase in contracts ​for dark tobacco in the Black Patch.   Recovering from the storm: ​Only one tobacco test will be conducted this season on the research facilities at the Princeton center, which were almost completely​destroyed by a tornado in December. It will take at least two years to get them functional again, but testing in the field will be resumed in coming weeks using plots at Murray State University [an hour’s drive away], ​the UT Highland Rim Research and Education Center in Springfield, TN, and on individual farms. There's an incentive this year to plant fire-cured fast: Due to a dramatic increase in acreage​ expected this year, much of the dark fire-cured crop will have to be double-cropped, and that requires an ​early crop to be transplanted by mid-May, says Bailey.  Flue-cured plantings so far: Georgia, 83%, SC, 51%. NC, 36%. VA, 12%. Source: Crop and Progress Report, NASS.   Industry News Drew Clapp has been named Drexel’s East Coast sales representative responsible for sales in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. A graduate with two degrees from NC State University, he lives in Greensboro, N.C., and can be contacted at 901 287 9296. Tom Tucker has joined Yara’s Mid-Atlantic team as a Senior Sales Agronomist. He will be responsible for delivering Yara’s crop nutrition solutions to growers and providing support to retailers in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and northern North Carolina. A graduate with two degrees from NC State University, Tucker will be based out of his home office in Raleigh, N.C. He can be reached at tom. tucker@yara.com or (919) 935-9897.   REPORT FROM OVERSEAS BRAZIL How much tobacco did Brazil growers produce in the last crop, which was marketed from October until early this year? According to Afubra, the Brazilian tobacco growers association, volume was down 9.38 percent to 569,539 tons, compared to last season’s 628,489 tons. Plantings were down by about the same percentage: 9.78 percent, from 273,317 hectares in 2021 to 243,590 hectares this year. The expected yield is 2,310 kg/ha compared to 2,299 kg/ha last year. Not over yet? The decline in Brazil may not have ended. The president of Afubra, Benício Werner, pointed to three obstacles that might lead to further reduction: Grower frustration with recent market seasons have been a major factor in the reduction in tobacco planting. With other crops providing greater profitability, tobacco producers are investing more in diversification. Tobacco growers are adapting their product offer to market demand. ZIMBABWE Farmers in this African country sold 94,453 kilograms of flue-cured tobacco for US $243,500 on opening day of its market, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB). That was 40.54 percent more than the previous year when 92,106 kg was sold for US $173,256. The average price was $2.58 per kg. It had been $1.88 on the first day of the previous season. Low volume, higher prices: TIMB Executive Meanwell Gudu told the Zimbabwe Herald he expects firm prices because of lower production. He also predicted Brazil will likely be 80 million kg short of usual production because of drought. CANADA  The 2022 greenhouse season is under way, says a dispatch from the Canadian Tobacco Research Foundation. The start has been cool and cloudy. All greenhouses have been seeded since early April. Overall, seedling stands in greenhouses should provide adequate transplants for this year’s crop.