US
After a hard production year in 2016, American burley tobacco producers had good prospects through mid-season of 2017 for producing a crop that could restore inventories and allow growers to realize a profit.
This was due to weather that allowed for a strong early start, which was an advantage for a number of growers. Farmers considered 2017 a better season because they had been able to set out their plants on a much more even schedule than in 2016.
Despite an outbreak of two fearsome diseases, the 2017 crop had gotten off to a good start and farmers were optimistic that this crop would enjoy an at-least average yield for the first time in three years. It was believed farmers had planted slightly fewer acres, but an average yield would result in more volume than in 2016.