HAVANA, March 23 (Reuters) - Cuba´s Pinar del Rio province, renowned for its luxuriuosly smooth tobacco, is heading towards its worst harvest ever, state run media reported late on Wednesday.

The province, which produces the majority of the tobacco used in the Caribbean island nation´s coveted, hand-rolled cigars, was steam-rolled by Hurricane Ian last fall. Most of the region´s tobacco drying houses were flattened and homes and infrastructure destroyed.

The 2022-2023 planting season will go down as the "smallest in Pinar del Rio´s history," according to a report in Granma, Cuba´s state-run newspaper.

Prior to the hurricane, the province aspired to plant 11,200 hectares, the report said, but the region will struggle to reach half that goal.

State-run tobacco company Tabacuba said in the report it would instead prioritize the highest quality crop to assure sufficient output for the all-important export sector.

The faltering planting season adds insult to injury as Cuba´s ailing, communist-run economy continues to sputter, saddled, in part, by a floundering recovery in its key tourism industry and harsh U.S. sanctions implemented under the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Cuban cigar maker Habanos said in late February it had boosted sales by 2% in 2022, but expressed concern about the situation in Pinar del Rio.

Cuba´s sugar harvest is also headed for record-low output this year, state media reported early in March, hampered by the economic crisis.

Economy minister Alejandro Gil told top officials late on Wednesday the country nonetheless maintained its prediction that output will grow 3% in 2023. (Reporting by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Nick Macfie)