Will Syrian Latakia Return?

[Mike N]

Latakia is named for the major port city in Syria and Syrian Latakia was prized throughout the pipe world. Around 2010, export of Latakia was stopped in Syria due largely to the civil war there. The production of Latakia moved to Cypress and a few other areas.

See discussian at Latakia (tobacco) - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latakia_(tobacco)#:~:text=It%20originated%20in%20Syria%20and,cured)%20over%20burning%20hard%20wood.

Now that the Assad regime has been ousted, it will be interesting to see if trade sanctions are lifted and peace returns to Syria allowing Latakia production to resume. We can only hope…

 

[Sigmund]

I wondered myself. Hopefully there will be peace but its pretty uncertain right now.

 

[Brendan]

I thought they stopped production decades ago due to environmental concerns, ie. mass deforestation.
I'll have to google that though to refresh my mind.

As to peace? Well peace sells but who's buying?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Last I read the strain of tobacco they used is extinct and the trees used to smoke the tobacco were all destroyed I'm the conflict. It hasn't been produced for nearly 40 years so definitely no return.

 

[Brendan]

It hasn't been produced for nearly 40 years so definitely no return.

That was my thought as well, I'm thinking I read that in an interview with Per Jensen regarding HH Vintage Syrian?

 

[Chasing Embers]

More information from pipestud a few years ago.

Why is Syrian Latakia no longer being made in Syria? Back in the 1960’s the Syrian government severely restricted the production of Syrian Latakia due to environmental concerns that had great impact on a lot of other areas of Syria’s agriculture. Thousands of acres of woods were harvested and burned to make Syrian Latakia and the value vs. return was small compared to other agricultural endeavors. The growers and harvesters could not make enough money to continue production of tiny amounts annually, so they finally just quit. So, the Syrian Latakia shortage began well before the current war and failed economy. And with the unrest in the area getting worse instead of better, growing the Shekk-el –bint plant again and harvesting and processing it is about the last thing on the mind of the Syrian government at present time.

Latakia - Are We Headed for a Shortage?

Pipestuds Consignment Shop | Buying and selling your collectible tobacco tins and tobacco pipes since 2001!

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With global disapproval of tobacco use, any tobacco production not geared towards cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or cigars will likely be a thing of the past in the near future so Latakia is first on the chopping block.

 

[JOHN72]

I do not believe that this new regime is thinking of exporting tobacco; this area will be another breeding ground for global jihadism, instability and barbarism.

 

[Mike N]

Here is an interesting article by Russ Ouellette published by Kevin Godbee on this site in 2011 about Latakia:

Lovin’ Latakia

By Russ Ouellette In the last go-round, I blathered on about one of my favorite tobaccos-Perique. This time, I’m going to address my first pipe related love, Latakia. When I […]

pipesmagazine.com

 

[paulfg]

Assad gone
meet the new boss,same as the old boss

nothing will change

meant as a reply to john72

 

[karam]

Not a chance in hell.

 

[Sigmund]

Sadly the more things change the more they stay the same. There is a reason Isreal slipped in and took the most strategic mountain bordering Syria. Its hard to say what will happen. These days bets are good that it wont end well.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Î'd recon they do have other things to do than planning on tobacco exports, I remember back in the days when Syria was close ally of Soviet Union, they exported those Syrian made cigarettes to the CCCP and they were really good tasting ones yet very cheap same way as were cigarettes (Brands like ,Ligeros, Partagas, Popularne exported from Cuba

 

[SmokeyJock]

Assad gone
meet the new boss,same as the old boss

nothing will change

meant as a reply to john72

There's hope in the North East (Rojava) where the SDF are, if the West doesn't stand by and let Turkey wipe them out now that they've defeated ISIS for us

 

[judcole]

As has been noted, the disappearance of Syrian Latakia has nothing to do with politics whatsoever. I've watched this topic be discussed in pipe related groups for 15-20 years. It's gone, and won't be back.

 

[ziv]

growing the Shekk-el

At least we know who to blame.

 

[Mike N]

We will see. Nature is unstoppable and trees and forests are resilient and grow back. When given a bit of freedom along with the need to feed their families, farmers and tobacco growers just might surprise us.

 

[NomadOrb]

They have a lot more to worry about at the moment, I think.

I said my goodbyes to Syrian Latakia long ago and I count myself lucky that I still have blends with it.

I hope for peace for the Syrian people, they've been through hell, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Chasing Embers]

At least we know who to blame.

It just wasn't profitable.

 

[Chasing Embers]

We will see. Nature is unstoppable and trees and forests are resilient and grow back. When given a bit of freedom along with the need to feed their families, farmers and tobacco growers just might surprise us.

It was costing more to make than they were profiting. Production ceased around the '80s and with the newer Turkish Latakia there's probably not enough demand. Pipe tobacco is a very niche market in the tobacco industry.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It really doesn't have any uses outside of the pipe tobacco world anymore. And, pipesmokers are the smallest segment of smokers in the market. It just wouldn't be very smart for someone to try to revive something so costly for such a small market. Also, it's a very thrifty, penny pinching market. Even if some millionaire wanted to revive it at their own expense, with just maybe a $2 premium for blends that have it... they would just be berated with complaints about prices and complaints that it doesn't taste the same. It would be a no win situation.