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to 25 646kg sold last year.
TIMB chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri said unfavourable prices at the auction floors last season saw a number of farmers shifting from growing the crop resulting in low deliveries at the floors.
“This year average prices at US$1,48 per kilogramme are lower than the US$2,35 per kilogramme that was being offered during the same period last year,” said Dr Matibiri.
The burley marketing season normally opens later than the flue-cured tobacco season because burley is naturally a rain-fed crop whose harvesting and curing take longer.
Traditionally the country produces less burley because of limited climatic conditions.
The crop does very well in high rainfall areas that also experience high humidity conditions like Odzi, Nyamaropa, Honde Valley and parts of Chipinge in Manicaland province.
Dr Matibiri said the increase in sales of burley tobacco would entice more farmers to resume growing the crop.
Burley is used in pipe smoking while flue-cured tobacco is used in manufacturing cigarettes.
Online Reporter