Haiti

[fna]

Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, apparently has no tobacco agri-business. Nor do they manufacture cigars there.

Does anyone know why?

 

[Shooter]

Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, apparently has no tobacco agri-business. Nor do they manufacture cigars there.

Does anyone know why?

I think you answered you own question.... They are one of the poorest countries, with no agri business. Most of em miagrate and work in the dominican.

 

[Devil Doc]

From what I just read, only 28% of Haiti is fit for agriculture. Considering there's never enough food in Haiti, tobacco would seem an extravagance.

Dox.

 

[sgates]

The constant political and economic instability in haiti also makes it very unattractive for any capital investment. That's one scary nation with a lot emmigrating to the US in the last 20+ yrs to avoid said problems.

 

[Gael]

The constant political and economic instability in haiti also makes it very unattractive for any capital investment. That's one scary nation with a lot emmigrating to the US in the last 20+ yrs to avoid said problems.

There actually is a Hatian cigar company. The name escapes me right now, but I've met the owners here in Miami. They grow a modest amount of Hatian filler tobacco in the western part of the island. They then blend their Hatian tobacco with Dominican tobaccos to produce their cigars which they offer in nice boxes. 95% of their product is sold in "Little Haiti", here in Miami, to the local Hatian community. I helped them out last year at a big annual Caribbean festival. Nice folks, and the cigars, as I recall, were interesting. They weren't very sophisticated, but enjoyable at the same time.

 

[fna]

Thanx for your responses.

Interesting to find out that there is at least one maker of cigars and some tobaccvo growing.

The question came up as I noticed you never see Haiti listed as a contributor of tobacco. Could haitian tobacco make up some of the infamous "Carribbean Basin Long Filler?

Actually "There is no agri-business" is not an answer that is self-contained in the the question "Why is there no agri-business?"

Besides, there actually is agri-business - Haiti exports coffee, mangoes, agricultural oils and other agricultural products.

I don't believe it is true that only 28% of Haiti is arable land - Over 70% of the Haitian people live by agriculture, much of that being food farming, not to mention the leading exports of the country noted above are agricultural (third leading exporter of mangoes to the U.S).

So apparently, it does grow there, kjust not much of it. Thanx again.