NC burley tobacco market opens Tuesday

ASHEVILLE — North Carolina’s burley tobacco growers may have just one place to sell their product this season.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that Planters Tobacco Warehouse in Asheville will open Tuesday. Warren Anders operates the warehouse and says he expects representatives of a nonprofit cooperative to attend, along with possibly two or three other buyers.

Another large warehouse appears to have closed.

Burley tobacco usually makes up about a third of a cigarette. It grows better in the mountains, where cooler nights and foggy mornings in the fall help it retain the desired moisture.

A federal buyout of the tobacco price support program went into effect in 2005 and since then the number of burley tobacco growers has dropped significantly.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)