Results of Popularization and Application of the Loose Leaf Curing Technique in Zunyi City

The loose leaf curing is a tobacco flue curing technology in which, instead of strung and hung on sticks, mature tobacco leaves are flue-cured on the curing rack lined up at the upright position. This curing technology can reduce labor input, reduce cost and improve curing quality at the same time. The loose leaf curing technology has been popularized and applied in Zunyi City from 2010 to 2013, involving 56 583 tobacco leaf curing barns and 109 600 ha tobacco growing fields. During the 4 year, a total of 186 400 t of tobacco leaf has been cured using the loose leaf curing technique, leading to the saving of 1 640 000 labor usage and 35 000 t coal. Comparing with the traditional curing technique,the economic benefit of the loose leaf curing technique is obvious, including an increase of output value of 442 800 000 yuan, a tax increase of 88 556 000 yuan, a profit increase of 53 136 000 yuan, and an expenditure reduction of 192 128 000 yuan. Some smooth leaves and stiff leaves appeared after loose leaf curing, but this did not affect the overall utilization of the cured tobacco. To further promote the application of loose leaf curing, the curing technology still needs to be improved.