Tobacco Asia

46 tobaccoasia Issue 3, 2026 May / June Some systems are mobile, providing flexibil- ity across fields. Panels can rotate to track the sun and be relocated as needed, maximizing efficiency across different growing areas. Hundreds of sys- tems are already in place, with more than 300 ad- ditional pumping units planned and another thou- sand expected to arrive later this year. The impact extends beyond tobacco pro- duction. "When we finish assembling and putting all these systems into operation, the municipal- ity will have the capacity to cultivate about 1,100 hectares of tobacco," Zamora Medina said. "But it's not just tobacco that will benefit… this will improve food security." For farmers, the shift is transformative. "The mere fact that we are not dependent on fuel or electricity is a tremendous achievement," said Elena Duque Barbosa, a local cooperative presi- dent. "That each farmer has and can use an irriga- tion system at their discretion is vitally important." The transition is also driving expansion. "We are already requesting new positions for farmers who are interested in starting to grow tobacco," she added, reflecting growing interest in the crop as conditions stabilize at the farm level. At the same time, the industry is becoming more efficient through innovation. At the Lázaro Peña Cigar Company (LPCC), tobacco waste is recycled into usable inputs, including reconsti- tuted tobacco, compost, and agricultural products. "This work is fundamental to the sector's sustain- ability," said Alexis Heredia Domínguez, speak- ing on behalf of LPCC. In a resource-constrained system, maximizing output from every input has become essential. Inside the shop While Cuba adapts internally, the effects are be- ing felt globally. Retailers are running out of ci- gars. "Most of the distributors have informed their customers that they're on a rationing system," said Jay Henderson, a La Casa del Habano retailer in Canada. Henderson has not received a shipment in months, he explained to the media. "Whatever's left, we should be getting this month—and then after that, it's a big shoulder shrug." For some retailers, the situation is existen- tial. "It is crazy. I do not know if I can survive this," said one Caribbean operator in St. Martin who had not received a shipment of cigars for more than six months. Stores are adjusting opera- tions, cutting hours, and stretching inventory as long as possible. "We're only opening for a few hours a day to try to extend the very little supply we have," the operator said. Logistical barriers are compounding the problem. Retailers can't even visit Cuba to meet with Habanos leadership in person. "We can't get there, turn around, refuel, and come back because there's no fuel on the island," Henderson said. The pressure isn't limited to a few shops. "Several Canadian retailers have indicated that Cuban ci- gars are increasingly difficult to keep on shelves," Lloyd Smith said. Retailers are beginning to adapt. "Some are beginning to shift more attention toward premium New World cigars," he added, noting a heightened focus on products from Nicaragua and the Do- minican Republic. At the same time, demand for Cuban cigars remains strong. That imbalance— high demand and constrained supply—is driving pricing, allocation, and tension across the market. The future remains uncertain. Cuban presi- dent Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged the pres- sure while emphasizing resilience. "We are a coun- try of peace… but we are prepared to defend the peace we desire," he said in a recent interview. The message is defiance, but the reality is uncertainty. For the global cigar industry, the implications are immediate. Supply is tightening, distribution is slowing, and alternatives are gaining attention. For Cuba, the path forward is less clear. The tobacco industry is adapting—through solar power, efficiency gains, and persistence—but it is under sustained stress. For those inside it, the outlook is simple. Not optimistic. Not pessimistic. Just real. "All we have is hope," the El Laguito staffer said. For now, hope—and sunlight—are enough to keep the cigars coming. Solar power has reduced farmers' reliance on fuel and grid electricity, helping stabilize conditions and renew interest in tobacco cultivation. A systemic shortage of skilled cigar rollers is reshaping output capacity and posing long-term challenges for the industry.

• Cover