A woman collecting tobacco leaves before the arrival of a storm in the high valley of Osikovo. Bad weather can affect the quality of tobacco, and farmers don't have the means to insure their crop. Unfortuntely, the night storm will destroy much of the harvest.
A farmer is collecting tobacco leaves close to the mountain pass of the village of Ribnovo. In the Rhodope mountains, tobacco farming is usually done in very small portions of land on high altitude, somehow resembling tea gardens. The calcareous soil of the region is optimal for the growth of tobacco plants.
A view of the minaret of the new mosque of the town of Osikovo, where most inhabitants are Pomaks, a Muslim minority. Mountain communities such as this largely survive on tobacco cultivation, even if before the 2008 economic crisis many men were able to work in the constrtuction business.
Indja, 11 years old, is stringing tobacco leaves, making them ready to be hung to dry. Children like Indja might be working on the farm only during the summer months, when harvesting takes place and school is over, however bare-hand manipulation of fresh tobacco leaves favours the transdermiic passage of nicotine and can cause Green Tobacco Sickness, with associated high levels of toxic nicotine in the bloodstream.
Two sisters collecting tobacco leaves at sunset in the valley of Gotse Delchev. In the rich sandy alluvial soils deposited by the Mesta river, ideal for tobacco, land owners can have larger fields and a richer harvest than the mountain communities.
A mother and a daugther transporting tobacco leaves from the field. Tobacco farming is becoming less remunerative as Bulgaria has cut most of the subsidies since it became part of the European Union. However mountain villages, mostly inhabited by the Pomaks, a Muslim minority, still rely on tobacco growing as the sole or major cash crop. Due to reduced value of the leaf, work is usually done by all members of the family, without sparing the elderly or the very young children. Temporary workers are only found in the large tobacco fields in the valleys. Tobacco in the area is usually sold for 5 leva/kg (about 3,5 USD per kg).
Tobacco has just been harvested and leaves are in the porch waiting to be sawn and dried. During harvesting, leaves are collected and set inder nylon sheets to dry. Most of the people keep the tobacco leaves at their homes, as in most cases it represent the sole cash income for the year.
An old lady stringing tobacco leaves. Ribnovo is a large Pomak village, where women are among the few that still wear everyday the traditional outfit. Tobacco is today the most important economical activity among the Pomaks living in the Rhodope mountains area of Bulgaria. This religious Muslim minority is mainly concentrated in the rural area of the Rhodope mountains. This south-western region is also the most poor of the whole country, where average monthly earning are about 50 €/month.
A moment of relax in the mountain village of Gorno Dryanovo, where most of the inhabitants work with tobacco.
The afternoon prayer led by Djevdjet, the Imam of Osikovo. Pomaks are a Muslim minority and are mainly concentrated in the rural area of the Rhodope mountains. This south-western region is also the most poor of the whole country, where average monthly earning are about 50 €/month.
A young boy collecting tobacco leaves close to the town of Ribnovo.
Men at the local bar in Gorno Dryanovo. Tobacco farming is becoming less remunerative as Bulgaria has cut most of the subsidies since it became part of the European Union.
In the streets of Osikovo. Tobacco has always been largely a peasant crop in Bulgaria, often produced with family labor.
A man rading a newspaper during a rainy day. Bad weather can affect the quality of tobacco. Average quality leaves are paid 5 leva/kg (about 3,5 USD per kg).
A view of the town of Osikovo, which largely survives thanks to tobacco cultivation.
A young Rom woman resting during lunch break in her car. Roma work as temporary farmers during harvesting season in the large tobacco plantations of the valley, living under the nylon covers used to dry the leaves.
Aisha in her family house. As most of the families in Ribnovo, the economy is mainly based on tobacco farming. In this village, women are among the few that still wear everyday the traditional Pomak outfit. The town is a very secluded community in the Rhodope mountains, and traditions such as the unique bridal outfit have been preserved over the centuries.
A woman working in the local shoe factory of Osikovo. This is the only economical alternative to toabcco present in the town.
A woman and her granddaughter in their home. As most of the families in Ribnovo, the economy is mainly based on tobacco farming. Hand-woven garments are usually used by the family or exchanged among friends, and they rarely have a commercial value.
A young girl is opening the nylon sheets under which newly-harvested tobacco of the families of the village of Pleteria is going to be hung and dried for the next weeks.
Tobacco leaves drying. Most of the people keep them at their homes, as in most cases it represent the sole cash income for the year.
Market day at Ribnovo, a large Pomak village, where women are among the few that still wear everyday the traditional outfit of the Pomaks. Festivities are the occasions for a social life for most tobacco workers in the summer, when harvesting, stringing and drying occupy farmers for most of the day.
Dawn, a man preparing the horse to reach the tobacco field and collect the leaves which are ready to be dried. Mountain villages, mostly inhabited by the Pomaks, a Muslim minority, still rely on tobacco growing as the sole or major cash crop.
Gosho, 8, inside his home in Skrebatno. The house is a large two-story building made entirely of wood and in urgent need of repair to the roof.
Sisters in a tobacco field wait for the sun to set before carrying the harvested tobacoc leaves to their home, where they will stirng them and hang them to be dried.
A woman and her two children in a tobacco field in the hight valley of Osikovo.
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