A tobacco harvester comprising a mobile unit with an endless defoliator belt mounted on roller assemblies. There are front and rear upper assemblies and a lower intermediate assembly to provide a lower V-shaped path including a front stripping course, a rear conveyor course and a generally horizontal return course. The belt is provided with openings spaced apart a sufficient distance so that as the belt is travelling diagonally downwardly over its front stripping course each of the stalks will enter one of the openings and the sides of each opening will push the leaves of the stalk downwardly and remove them.