The principal tobacco
producing areas in the southern Marmara region are in the districts of Agonya, Balıkesir,
Gönen,Yenice, Biga and Susurluk.
The sessile (kabakulak)
leaves of this variety are of medium to partly big size, and broad. Their texture is thin,
elastic and resistant to stress. They have a bright colour, from yellow to light red. The
midrib and veins are indistinguishably fine.
Their taste is sweet and
strong. They add strength to the blends and increase their cutting property. Their filling
capacity and combustibility is very good.
Tobacco raised in the Gönen
district another type of this variety.
This tobacco distinguishes
itself from the other by its smaller size leaves, broad at the upper half of the leaf and
light red to red in colour.
Tobacco raised in the Agonya
district has a very fine texture and a peculiar aroma of its own. Since these tobaccos
appeal to everybody’s taste and have a high filling capacity, they are very much in
demand. They can be used freely in every blends. The tobaccos
of Balıkesir are actually known on foreign markets as Gönen and Agonya tobaccos. They
have a slightly excessive nicotine content, the average rate being in the region of 1.5 %
The tobaccos are produced on
quite (broken) uneven lands, The top soil can be classified as brown forest soil-being
greyish brown or brown in colour, loamy, granular, of neuter-alkaline reaction and approx.
8-15 cm in depth.
The average temperature in
this arca during the growing stage is 22.9º C, total rainfall 633 mm. and average
relative humidity 60%.
Farmers stack their tobaccos in the Rumeli
method, the bales weighing 15-30 kgs. After processing. The commercial bales (also Rumeli
method) are 15-2—25 and 30 kgs. in weight.