- It is a legally traded agricultural commodity for which, in global terms, there continues to be brisk demand;
- It thrives on the less fertile soils on the farm or region;
- There is no better cash crop in most environments suited to tobacco;
- As a rule, sale is guaranteed and price negotiated or determined by free auctions;
- Holdings are generally small in tobacco areas, necessitating high value cash crops to ensure family income;
- Good returns can be achieved per unit area of land;
- Tobacco-growing attracts sound infrastructure providing financial aid, technical assistance, transport and storage;
- Successful production of other crops and animal rearing is often more feasible when a high value crop, such as tobacco, is part of the farming system;
- The wealth generated by leaf tobacco production helps to improve quality of life and attracts educational, health and social facilities in, otherwise, relatively impoverished, rural areas.
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