Swiss tobacco fields

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Burley tobacco, mainly used for the production of cigarettes, is grown from minuscule seeds, seen here at the farm of Eric Chassot. Thomas Kern

In March or April, the seeds are placed in polystyrene trays floating on a pool of nutrient-rich water to grow until they are ready to be planted. Thomas Kern

Eric Chassot, his wife, other family members and friends transfer the tobacco seedlings. Thomas Kern

Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco, is a perennial herbaceous plant. It is the most commonly grown of all plants in the Nicotiana genus, and its leaves are produced in many countries to be processed into tobacco. Thomas Kern

Even though agricultural conditions in Switzerland are not ideal for growing tobacco, there is indigenous production in the Broye Valley, where the largest plantations are located. Thomas Kern

Members of the Chassot planting crew take a break while planting seedlings. Thomas Kern

Decorations inside the Café Reine Berthe in Payerne bear witness to the importance of the tobacco crop in the Broye Valley and the vicinity of Fermenta and SOTA, the two local tobacco growers' cooperatives. Thomas Kern

Assis sur un véhicule spécial qui suit lentement les sillons, on cueille les feuilles de tabac à la main. Elles sont ensuite empilées dans des paniers et transportées à la grange, où les feuilles sont attachées et suspendues pour le séchage. Thomas Kern

Tobacco grows up to two metres high. Swiss tobacco growers supply the national cigarette factories with only about four per cent of what is processed. Over 95 per cent of tobacco is imported. Thomas Kern

Tobacco harvesting is hard work. Eric Chassot relies on the help of his family, local students and foreign seasonal workers. They all sit down together for the midday meal. Thomas Kern

The tobacco harvest is labour-intensive and farmers usually need all their family members, neighbours plus some hired hands to complete the task. Thomas Kern

A French student works to earn some holiday money. In the barn, the picked leaves are unloaded and tied together on a string to be hung up for drying and curing. Thomas Kern

Two farmers' apprentices unload racks filled with freshly picked tobacco leaves. Tobacco is allowed to air cure for eight or more weeks, turning from the normal pale green to yellow and then brown. Thomas Kern

Freshly picked tobacco leaves feel fresh and have a green colour, almost like lettuce. But after only a few days in the barn, they start to change colour and shrink. Thomas Kern

The warm days and cool nights of early autumn are perfect for drying tobacco leaves. After a few days, yellow gives way to varying shades of brown, and after eight weeks the curing process is nearly complete. Thomas Kern

Eric Chassot and his wife select and sort tobacco leaves of varying quality. The harvest suffered from hail storms that damaged the leaves, lowering the quality and the price the farmer will be paid for the final product. Thomas Kern

After being harvested and cured, tobacco is not fully stabilised and must go through fermentation, the transformation of the chemical components by oxidation. When well fermented, tobacco can be stored for years without damage. Thomas Kern

After selection and quality control by the producer, the leaves are pressed into bales between two wooden racks. Thomas Kern

The harvest is then submitted to a committee that determines the quality of the merchandise and the price paid for it. Thomas Kern

The annual buying sessions are the highlight of the producers' season. After the work is done the committee members and the farmers head to La Reine Berthe, the nearby restaurant. Thomas Kern

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Swiss tobacco production is on the decline; only about 200 farmers still grow this labour-intensive crop. Most of them are in the Broye Valley stretching across cantons Vaud and Fribourg. Their production covers only a small share of the tobacco consumed in Switzerland.

Less than 5% of the tobacco used by the industry in Switzerland comes from local producers. The crop plays a marginal role in Swiss agriculture. But the growers that remain want to preserve their traditional production. Two types of tobacco are grown in Switzerland: Burley, air-dried in traditional tobacco hangars, and Virginia, introduced to Switzerland in 1992 and oven-dried. 

(Images: Thomas Kern/Text: Samuel Jaberg, swissinfo.ch)