Curing is the final step in the production of tobacco. Thereafter, the leaves are sold to be transformed into the final tobacco product, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff.

Through curing, the moisture content in the tobacco leaf is reduced from 80% to about 20%, thus ensuring the tobacco's preservability. Further, the different methods of curing also enhance the leaf's natural aroma. As different tobacco products require leaves with different characteristics, the distinctive flavour of each type of tobacco is what determines its suitability for use in different tobacco products.