Varieties and Their Characteristics

Since the introduction of tobacco into Turkey, the production of this crop has been suitably distributed among the various regions of the country in accordance with climatic and soil conditions. Through the course of time and under the influence of ecologic and economic conditions, tobacco types with stable characteristics were created and as a result of this, the tobacco varieties of today and their producing regions have been well determined.

These varieties are distributed among the following four regions :

• Aegean
• Black Sea
• Marmara
• Eastern

The Aegean region producing the İzmir variety, is located in the Western part Anatolia, having Mediterranean climate. The ideal harmony between the climatic conditions and soil composition of this wide spread region constitute the best means for the world famous and most sought after aromatic tobaccos. This region also produces the world renown Turkish grapes, figs and several other crops.

The tobacco types grown in the Akhisar and Gavurköy districts of this region are unequalled, especially with regard to their distinctive aroma.

The Black Sea region lies in the North of Anatolia and encompasses the middle and eastern parts of the Black Sea shores. The soil in the centre of the Black Sea region is most suitable for the growing of best tobacco varieties. both in view of climatic and soil conditions. The most renown varieties of tobacco are produced in this region, known under the me of Samsun, Bafra, Alaçam, Sinop, Gerze, Taşova and Gümüşhacıköy. On the other hand the Eastern part of the Black Sea region due to its moderate climate, high rate of precipitation and humidity, nature and structure of its soil, is also suitable for tobacco growing. The Trabzon and Artvin cigarette type and Pazar cigar type tobaccos are all produced in this region.

The Marmara region consists in the area surrounding the Marmara Sea, and as the climatic and soil conditions alter considerably within short distances, tobacco varieties of different types and characteristics are obtained here as in the Black Sea region. These varieties are named after the districts in which they are produced: Hendek, İzmit, Balıkesir, Edirne, Bursa and Düzce.

The Eastrern region includes all the tobacco growing districts in the Eastern and South-Eastern regions of Anatolia. The varieties grown under greatly varying climatic conditions which are prevalent in this large region show rather great differences in their characteristics. The principal varieties of this region are called Bitlis, Şemdinli, Adıyaman, Yayladağ, Malatya, İskenderun, Mardin (Gurs) and Bahçe. Tombac tobaccos (water pipe tobacco) are also grown in the Southern parts of this region.

Some of the chemical characteristics of the tobacco varieties grown in Turkey are shown in table.

The following represents a study of the characteristics of main varieties of tobaccos grown in Turkey. One of the general characteristics of Turkish tobacco is its preserving ability of casing and flavouring additives. The relative measurements used for describing the particularities of each variety are in comparison only with all varieties of Turkish tobacco. When for example the term "big, large", "medium" and "small" is used for the respective leaf sizes, the largest or smallest leaves of Turkish tobacco are taken into consideration. Otherwise, if the largest leaves of tobacco grown in Turkey were compared with other types of tobacco the world over, they could only be referred to as "medium size" or small size".