Govt appoints new TIMB board

marketing challenges and improve crop husbandry.

The new board will be in charge until 2014.
Zimbabwe National Farmers Union president, Mrs Monica Chinamasa, is the new board chairperson for TIMB taking over from Mr Njodzi Machirori.

She will be deputised by Mr Nimrod Chiminya.
Other board members are Mr John Mapondera, Mrs Emily Mbengegwi, Mr Crispen Sukume, Dr Jane Gonese, Mrs Mercy Chizodza-Chineunye, Professor David Simbi, Dr Ephraime Hwingwiri and Dr Engelbert Kapuya.

Introducing the new board, Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Joseph Made said Government expected the board to take the tobacco industry as a developmental issue.
“Since the successful land reform programme, the tobacco industry has become a major driving force in the agriculture sector.

“There has been an increase in the number of farmers producing the crop and the new board should work towards improvement of quality and volumes,” he said.
The minister raised concern over low prices and the long periods being spent by farmers at the auction floors and advised the new board to closely look into the issue.

“I am concerned that you are considering many applicants for auction floors.
“You should move with speed to give those who deserve the licences so that next season we increase auction floors.

“An increase in auction floors will decongest the auction floors although it does not mean farmers will get high prices for their crop,” he said.
Mrs Chinamasa said the tobacco industry was a sector with communal, small scale and commercial farmers who had different ways of doing business.

“Sometimes they are not wrong in their ways only that they require guidance, especially on the orderly marketing of the crop,” she said.
With resources permitting, Mrs Chinamasa pledged support for tobacco growers in crop husbandry, infrastructure development and maintenance and marketing of the crop.

“Tobacco farmers should adequately prepare for the season and this will be reflected by the final product.

“Farmers should not always cry foul over prices but most of the times, good quality crop fetches the best price,” she said.
Mrs Chinamasa said the improvement in tobacco production was a reflection of the successful land reform programme.