U. S. Tobacco Import Update

Overview

U.S. imports (arrivals) of foreign-grown tobacco leaf and stems slipped from 587 million pounds in 2001/02 (July-June) to 580 million pounds during 2002/03 (July-June). Cigar and unstemmed flue-cured imports advanced. Burley, stemmed flue-cured, and stems arrivals slipped. During the same period, imports for consumption of leaf and stems fell 3 percent to 553 million pounds. Use of foreign-grown flue-cured fell 24 percent. Imported burley changed little and Oriental leaf use advanced a few million pounds. The share of foreign-grown cigar leaf used by the U.S. industry advanced slightly. Imports of flue-cured and burley tobacco continue to be regulated by a tariff-rate quota.