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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
Shisha tobacco deliveries for the current season have so far reached over 100 000kg, a positive step towards transforming more people’s livelihoods in the tobacco industry.
Farmers from different parts of Zimbabwe are selling shisha tobacco for the very first time in the country’s history and the majority are willing to grow the crop next season.
Shisha tobacco is a very thin leaf variety that is smoked through water in special pipes.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) public relations officer Mrs Chelesani Tsarwe described the shisha marketing season as perfect.
“The shisha marketing season is going on well,” she said. “As of day 64 of the tobacco marketing season, 100 169kg of shisha tobacco had been sold for US$318, 552. The average price of shisha on day 64 was US$3.18/kg.
“About 260 million kg of virginia tobacco have been sold for US$787 million. More growers have expressed an interest in shisha production in the next season, and hopefully, they will pull through.”
Recently, shisha tobacco farmers were so excited with the crop adding that majority of them will improve hectarage next season.
A Mutorashanga farmer Mr Moses Machine said he was happy growing this type of tobacco, adding that there were many benefits associated with the crop.
Mr Machine said he was expecting to bring 400 bales to the floors.
“There are several advantages associated with growing this type of crop,” he said. “Plant population will double the Virginia tobacco. Shisha uses less fertilizer. Since it is the first year we are not sure where the viability is, but with time we are going to have a proper analysis.
“There is use of less labour and fertilisers. In terms of costs of production there is a difference compared to the Virginia one. There are plenty of good points but yes we may encounter challenges since it is the beginning,” he said.
A Marondera farmer Mr Jayson Scott said special handling is required.
“The tobacco needs very special attention because the plant or the leaf is very thin so if you don’t carefully handle it the leaf itself breaks. I hope to increase the hectarage,” he said.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust president Mr Victor Mariranyika also commended more farmers to grow Shisha tobacco indicating that there is low cost of production adding that the prices offered at the floors is so far good.
Shisha production adds to the ranges of tobacco grown and improves livelihoods of farmers and boost the economy.
Unlike cigarettes, this type of tobacco is consumed using a device called a hookah or waterpipe. A hookah or waterpipe is a single or multi-stemmed instrument for heating or vaporising and then smoking the tobacco.
An individual pulls from a pipe, and then the smoke is passed through a water basin, often glass-based, before inhalation. Chemical applications for pest and insect control and growth period are just the same as other tobacco cultivars such as Virginia tobacco.
The crop is reaped when the leaves have completely lost all the nitrogen and have fully ripened.
It is cured using the same flue-curing barns, temperature and humidity regimes for the Virginia flue-cured tobacco and it takes four to five days to complete curing.
Online Reporter