Tobacco leaves go through a number of stages before they become the raw unmanufactured tobacco that we recognise.
Growing: Tobacco starts life in a seedbed, and later is transferred to the field by the farmer where they grow for 4 – 5 months.
Harvesting: when the leaves are ready the farmer will harvest the leaf from the plant.
Curing: Flue-curing, fire-curing, air-curing and sun-curing. These are all ways to dry out the leaf from a green leaf. After leaf change colour to yellow or brown.
Grading: Separating the leaves by size and quality.
Removing the Stem: Leaves may be stripped, or threshed to remove the lamina from the stem.
