Next market for Carolina tobacco may be China

Raleigh, N.C. — The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is considering exporting one of the state's biggest cash crops to China.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said Thursday that, with an increase in the North Carolina's cigarette tax and a smoking ban set to begin, tobacco farmers are preparing to take a hit in business.

Two counties – Johnston and Wilson – accounted for 13 percent of the nation's tobacco production in 2008.

"We're going to need to export 80 percent of tobacco that we grow in North Carolina in the coming years," said Troxler, who recently returned from a recent seven-day trip to China. "Because of all the different factors coming together, we've got to look for additional markets."

With a population of 1.3 billion people, China is the world's largest and most populous country with approximately 330 million smokers.

"China is a market, where if we crack that market, it could rescue the tobacco industry in North Carolina," he said.

Troxler said the country is now considering creating an agriculture office in North Carolina.

The state is also looking to expand exports for soybeans, cotton, poultry and pork, he said..

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Latest Comments

Armando, you know that tobacco kills, but it's ok because "we hardly make anything in this country anymore"? Holy smokes what a rationalization!

And who said anything about banning it? I just want to know how people can sleep at night knowing that their product addicts and kills people...including the 3000 teenagers that start smoking every day.

It's an ETHICS thing. And rationalizing this is the same as the coke & heroin growers in their countries. If not, why not?

hereandnow99
August 14, 2009 2:08 p.m.

Darn...don't they know smoking will stunt their growth????

GWALLY
August 14, 2009 1:04 p.m.

What a bunch of hypocrites there are in politics! It is okay to grow tobacco, it is great to sell it to other countries, but smoking in this country is soon to be illegal. When will these morons learn that we are fed up.

Iwasasoldier4u
August 14, 2009 12:58 p.m.

On the bright side maybe the Chinese will all get lung cancer and we can start manufacturing things in America again. That's one way to defeat them without having to nuke them.

doubletap357
August 14, 2009 11:02 a.m.

I agree with Armando de Cabana Boy, everything kills people. It's someone's right to smoke or not to smoke. Myself, I'm a non-smoker and come from a family of tobacco farmers. Everyone has the right to do what they want to do, its called being an American.