In the mid 19th century most of the tobacco trade activity of the Balkans gathered in Kavala, because of its climate, the appropriate soil and for being in the neighbourhood of areas were the famous outstanding “Basmas” variety was cultivated and, last but not least, because of its natural situated harbour with a capacity for large cargo ships.

It was a city, which was part of the Ottoman Empire; where Christians, Ottomans, Hebrews and others used to live. The development of the tobacco trade brought great tobacco firms from Europe to Kavala that wanted to obtain the much desired tobacco, but also Consulates of European countries, in order to watch the production and to secure tobacco for their countries.

The great financial development brought about tremendous changes in Kavala’ s society and created a cosmopolitan urban class that had to do financially with Europe. The accumulation of labour population from the countryside after the liberation from Turkey and Bulgaria formed a new multi-cultural, strong trade union movement, which marked the whole Greek territory.

Kavala’s financial life eases off in regard to tobacco trade after the year 1950, because of the mass imports of the “Virginia” variety; a fact that had to do with the inflow of the multi-national capitals. The city then began to balance like a great provincial city, by creating an important scientific community and developing a significant cultural activity.