Wugong Tobacco Leaves

Wugong Tobacco Leaves

　　The cultivation and curing techniques of Wugong tobacco leaves originated in the 14th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1888). During the Republican era, they were grown on both the upper and lower plateaus, mostly for personal consumption. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Sufang, Youfeng, and Wugong Town became the main production areas of tobacco leaves in the county, with scattered planting also occurring in places such as Daijia, Zhenyuan, Changning, and Hedao. Between 1949 and 1954, the annual planting area in the county was around 10,000 mu, and after 1955, it fluctuated between 600 and 1,000 mu. In 1988, the area reached 20,500 mu, with a yield of 148.6 kilograms per mu and a total output of 3,194 tons. In 1990, the county planted 34,700 mu, yielding a total of 3,706 tons, and was designated by the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration as a “Sun-Cured Tobacco Base County.” The main varieties include “Luodi Huang” and “Hei Da Han,” with the ancient variety “Xiao Lan Hua Ye” occasionally being cultivated.