[Photo from yntsti.com]

Yunnan flue-cured tobacco, or Yunnan tobacco, is noted for its fine quality, shiny and plump leaves, delicate textures, golden color, high gloss and flexibility, moderate nicotine content, high sugar content, good combustibility, fragrant smell and mild taste. Yunnan tobacco gained worldwide fame after winning first place in the 1995 national flue-cured tobacco quality appraisal.

Apart from meeting the cigarette production demands and export demands in Yunnan, Yunnan flue-cured tobacco is also supplied to 84 cigarette factories in China's 22 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities as the ingredient for Class-A cigarettes. For example, Yunnan tobacco accounts for about one-third of the ingredients in Chunghwa, Shanghai’s high-grade cigarette brand. There are 16 famous top-class cigarette brands in Yunnan, involving 21 specifications, among which Yunyan, Hongtashan, Ashima, Stone Forest, Gonghexin, The Scarlet Camellia, Hongmei, 99 and Honghe are the most popular among consumers.

Yunnan tobacco has a prosperous market not only on the Chinese mainland, but also in a dozen countries and regions, such as Europe, the Middle East, Hong Kong and Macao.

Yunnan is endowed with a climate and soil that are favorable for the growth of flue-cured tobacco. Since its promotion in early 1941, Yunnan flue-cured tobacco has been planted in over 70 counties in Yuxi, Qujing, Chuxiong, Zhaotong, Dali, Honghe, Kunming and other cities. The crop is dominated by "Honghua Dajinyuan" and "Speight G-28", two top global varieties. Yunnan ranks second after Henan in terms of flue-cured tobacco yields.