CHINA

EXPORT OVERVIEW

Export Overview comprises information regarding the national exports of tobacco leaf

IN THE WORLD

5%

Percentage that the country represents in the international tobacco leaf trade (Source: calculated from data from FAO, 2019)

PRODUCTION OUTLOOK

Types of tobacco leaf grown in 2019 (Source: Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc.): Flue Cured Virginia and Burley

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

PEOPLE INVOLVED IN TOBACCO

Employment numbers of the tobacco leaf value chain in 2017 (Source: ITGA): Growers: 5 497 000

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

KEY INSIGHTS

Key statistics of the tobacco leaf production in the country

1,157

AREA

Thousand Hectares (2019), Source: FAO

1,711

PRODUCTION

Thousand Tons (2019), Source: Universal Leaf Tobacco Company, Inc.

0.19

AREA/GROWER

Hectares per Grower (2017), Source: Calculated from FAO

455

EXPORT VALUE

Million US$ (2020), Source: UN Comtrade

8.27

PRODUCTION VALUE

Billion US$ (2017), Source: FAO

2,257

YIELD

kg per Hectare (2019), Source: FAO

7,644

REVENUE/HA

US$ per Hectare (2017), Source: Calculated from FAO 

TOBACCO IN CHINA

Brief contextualization of the importance of Tobacco in China

37%

CHINA

% of World Tobacco Production
C

hina is the most important player in the World Tobacco market. The country is the leading producer and consumer of tobacco products. China State Tobacco Monopoly is the biggest tobacco company in the world. With this data, it is safe to assure that the gold leaf has a huge impact on the country’s economy. Due to the weight the country has on the global tobacco leaf market, fluctuations in the demand or trade wars (such as the one currently raging between the US and China) sends shockwaves through the entire industry and no one is immune. Tobacco use can be traced to the 16th century.  Cigarette sales in 2018 amounted to 2,375 billion units, representing an increase of +0.3% from the previous year, contributing over US$ 170 billion to Government revenues. The local market is dominated by domestic firms, which have started efforts for globalization. Tobacco growing in China is consolidated into three regions: Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. In these areas, the crop is a major source of employment and income as well as an important revenue stream to local governments. Some studies reveal the figure of 20 million farmers in the early 21st century. Growers appoint the high profits that the crop provides as one of the main motivations to grow tobacco. The crop is not the sole source of income for the majority of growers, however it is mostly grown for the lump sum of money its sale provides, complementing other cash and food crops cultivated.

Sources: Tobacco and Nicotine database, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Hu, Mao, Ong et al.(2006), Hu & Lee (2016) and ITGA.

China is the most important player in the World Tobacco market. The country is the leading producer and consumer of tobacco products

EXPORT PARTNERS

This section aims at identifying the most important commercial partners in terms of Value and Quantity (Source: Calculated from data from UN Comtrade)

  • INDONESIA 28%

  • BELGIUM 24%

  • EGYPT 9%

  • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 6%

  • PHILIPPINES 4%

  • OTHERS 29%

  • BELGIUM 22%

  • INDONESIA 21%

  • EGYPT 10%

  • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 8%

  • VIETNAM 4%

  • OTHERS 35%

                                    VALUE (2017)                                                                                                          QUANTITY (2017)