A History of Agriculture in India v2.c83.s1.6

v2.c83.s1.6

Tobacco crop was introduced into India during the last years of the reign of Akbar. It seems that this crop was introduced before 1600 into two separate areas of India, viz. the present state of Gujarat (Surat-Broach area) and the state of Andhra Pradesh (Masulipatam and interior). Even now these are the pripcipal tobacco-growing areas in India. The earliest mention of a significant crop of tobacco in western coastal areas of India is dated in 1604-1605. William Methwold, who was an agent of the English East India Company in the kingdom of Golkonda from 1618 to 1622, observes: 'They have within few years planted store of tobacco, and much of it is exported to Mocha and Arakan, and not a little smoked amongst themselves. It is but weak, yet sure more care in curing and making it up would help that fault; they only dry the leaves in the sun, and use it so, without further sophistication.' According to Methwold, 'the cultivation of tobacco on the Coromandel coast was established long enough to produce a crop sufficient for local demand and export to the Red Sea-Persian Gulf area and to coastal Burma before 1622.'¹ The tobacco crop which was introduced into Andhra before 1600, became an important crop in that region by 1620 (Fig. 56).