Historical overview of tobacco cultivation in Herzegovina

Tobacco began to be grown in Herzegovina in the 17th century. It was produced for its own needs, while surpluses were used for commodity exchange. Turkey was the first country to introduce a tax on its production, and at the end of its rule established a monopoly on tobacco. With the arrival of Austria Hungary, a more equitable monopoly law was introduced, which led to the rise of tobacco production in Herzegovina. This state of affairs persisted until 1918 when opportunities for Herzegovinian producers became less favorable. Unfair assessment of tobacco during the time of the kingdom of Yugoslavia, low purchase prices, tax burdens and taxes on production led to the emergence of tobacco smuggling. In the time of the new Yugoslavia, there were also ups and downs in the production of tobacco raw materials, and such a trend persisted until the Homeland War. Although empires, authorities and monopoly laws changed, tobacco was for many years the basis of Herzegovinian economy.