Soil and season
The belt, the month, and the grade
Where Indian FCV and Burley are grown, when the crop is planted and sold, and how the grades are read.
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka grow the FCV crop. Buyers still name the belt, because the soil sets body, colour and the month the leaf is sold. A blank month in the calendar means that belt is between plantation and marketing.
Northern Black Soils (NBS)
Black soils of Karimnagar, Khammam, East and West Godavari. Rainfed. Planted in October, harvested December to February. Good body, long leaf, lemon-orange and flashy, medium nicotine.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Districts | Karimnagar, Khammam, East and West Godavari |
| Water | Rainfed |
| Planted | October |
| Harvested | December to February |
| Leaf | Good body, lengthy, lemon-orange, medium nicotine |
Central Black Soils (CBS)
Black soils of Krishna and Guntur. Planted October to November, harvested December to February, rainfed. The leaf is close to Northern Black Soils.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Districts | Krishna and Guntur, Andhra Pradesh |
| Water | Rainfed |
| Planted | October to November |
| Harvested | December to February |
| Leaf | Similar to Northern Black Soils |
Southern Black Soils (SBS)
Black soils nearer the coast in Prakasam and Nellore. Planted October to November, harvested December to February. Lemon to lemon-orange, medium body, and a better blender than NBS or CBS.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Districts | Prakasam and Nellore, nearer the coast |
| Planted | October to November |
| Harvested | December to February |
| Leaf | Lemon to lemon-orange, medium body |
Southern Light Soils (SLS)
Light soils of Prakasam and Nellore, grown as a semi-monsoon crop. Planted September to October, harvested November to January. Lemon to lemon-orange, thin to medium, ripe, open grain, good aroma, low nicotine.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Districts | Prakasam and Nellore |
| Season | Semi-monsoon |
| Planted | September to October |
| Harvested | November to January |
| Leaf | Lemon to lemon-orange, thin to medium, low nicotine |
Northern Light Soils (NLS)
Sandy to sandy-loam soils in East and West Godavari and parts of Khammam. 7–8 irrigations. Planted September to October, harvested December to February. Medium to heavy, ripe, open grain, orange to deep orange, fluffy.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Districts | East and West Godavari, parts of Khammam |
| Soil | Sandy to sandy-loam |
| Water | 7–8 irrigations |
| Planted | September to October |
| Harvested | December to February |
| Leaf | Medium to heavy, orange to deep orange, fluffy |
Eastern Light Soils (ELS)
Light soils of Vijayanagaram in Andhra Pradesh and Rayagada in Odisha. Quality is similar to Northern Light Soils.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Districts | Vijayanagaram (Andhra Pradesh), Rayagada (Odisha) |
| Quality | Similar to Northern Light Soils |
Karnataka Light Soils (KLS)
Light soils of Mysore, Hassan, Shimoga, Davangere, Coorg, Chikkamagaluru and Chitradurga. A monsoon crop. Planted in the last week of April to May, harvested July to August. Light to medium, lemon-orange to orange, soft, open grain.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Districts | Mysore, Hassan, Shimoga, Davangere, Coorg, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga |
| Season | Monsoon |
| Planted | Last week of April to May |
| Harvested | July to August |
| Nicotine | 1.5 to 2.2% |
| Leaf | Light to medium, lemon-orange to orange, soft, open grain |
Plantation and marketing calendar
Each cell is that month’s work for the crop. A dash is a month with no plantation or marketing marked on the calendar.
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka Light Soils (KLS) | Marketing | Marketing | — | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing |
| Northern Light Soils (NLS) | — | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation |
| Southern Light Soils (SLS) | — | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation |
| Traditional Black Cotton Soils | Plantation | Plantation | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | — | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation |
| Yeleswaram Light Soil (Burley) | Marketing | Marketing | — | — | — | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Market |
| Vinukonda Light Soil (Burley) | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | — | — | — | — | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation |
| HDBRG Traditional Burley | — | — | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation |
| Eluru Air Cured (IAC) | — | — | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Marketing | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation |
| Oriental | Plantation | Plantation | — | Marketing | Marketing | — | — | — | — | Plantation | Plantation | Plantation |
Grade colours
Colour grades used when the leaf is sorted. Texture sits beside the colour.
| Grade | Colour | Texture |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Lemon / yellow or light orange, medium to good body | Good |
| LBY | Light brownish yellow / orange, medium to good body | Medium to good |
| LG | Light green, medium to good body | Medium to fine |
| LBY2 | Light brownish lemon / yellow / orange, good body | Medium to good |
| Brown | Brown, good body | Medium to coarse |
| LMG | Light medium green | Medium to coarse |
| MG | Medium green | Medium to coarse |
| BX | Thin-body brown mixed broken leaf | Thin |
Trade enquiries
Tell us the grade, crop, and quantity.
Share your specification and shipment window. We reply with availability from the current crop.