Abstract: The total volatile acid in 170 tobacco samples from 5 provinces of China grown in 2002 and 2003 were determined and compared.The results showed that:1) the total volatile acids in tested tobacco samples were in the range of 0.20%-0.40%, the differences of total volatile acids between tobaccos from different provinces were extremely significant, the provinces in the order of total volatile acid content were Fujian > Sichuan > Guizhou > Shandong > Henan;2) there was no significant difference in total volatile acid content between different cultivars of the same grade, though, the content was slightly higher in Yunyan85 from Yongding, Fujian than that in K326 from Changting, Fujian and slightly higher in Zhongyan101 than that in Zhongyan100 both from Yiyang, Henan;3) as for the leaves of the same grade, the total volatile acid content in K326 from Huili, Sichuan and Yunyan85 from Bijie, Guizhou in 2002 were higher than that in 2003, particularly in Yunyan85, however, the content in NC82 from Linyi, Shangdong changed little between 2002 and 2003;4) the stalk positions in the order of total volatile acid content were upper leaf > cutter > lower leaf, and the ranges of the content varied with grown areas.