The tobacco planting of Bozhou can date back to Qianlong 3rd year of the Qing Dynasty (1738).

Before the liberation, Bozhou was a production area of tobacco with a planting area of several thousand acres, which was known far and wide ,with species such as "Hua Qi Yan", "E Mei Qiao", "Tai Ping Ban", "Wai Ba Zi" and "Lao Lai Hong", most of which have been lost today.

In 1970s, the tobacco planting area of Qiaocheng District reached 120,000 acre. By 1980s, the area was expanded to 240,000 acre and the yield was as high as 40 million kg, accounting for above 60% of the total yield of the province and became the major production area of tobacco in Anhui Province, with regularized cultivation and management. Other counties of Bozhou also have the habit of growing tobacco. The major species include "Hong Xin No. 1", "Chang Bo Huang", "Lao Lai Hong", "Bai Lei Yan", "Cao Xin No. 5", "Xiang Ying No. 1", "Xu Jin No. 4", "Pan Yuan Huang" and "Hong Hua Da Jin Yuan". Bozhou tobacco features a broad leaf, a good luster, a high oil content, a thick smell, and is the major raw material for production of medium and high rank cigarettes.