Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
TOBACCO farmers have been urged not to respond to tightening profit margins by cutting essential inputs, with researchers warning that reducing spending indiscriminately could further undermine yields and leaf quality in the 2026/27 season.
The warning comes after the 2026 marketing season, when strong national production was accompanied by weaker returns for some growers as lower prices for certain grades collided with rising production costs.
Researchers Dr Kumbirai Mateva, Farayi Dube and Tinotenda Munhenga said farmers should instead focus on improving efficiency and limiting avoidable costs.
Dr Mateva said soil testing could help farmers determine appropriate fertiliser and lime requirements rather than applying inputs without considering soil conditions and expected yields.
“Growers cannot control the market price or the weather, but they can control how efficiently they produce the crop,” he said.
“When margins are under pressure, every decision from soil preparation and seedling quality to curing and grading matters.”
He said indiscriminate cuts could prove costly if they resulted in poor crop establishment, inadequate weed control or reduced yields.
The 2026/27 season could add another layer of pressure, with regional climate forecasts pointing to El Niño conditions and the possibility of below-normal rainfall, prolonged dry spells and higher temperatures.
Dr Dube said farmers with access to irrigation should prepare their systems before transplanting, while rain-fed growers needed to consider soil moisture and rainfall prospects when deciding when to plant.
“Efficient water management will be critical if the season turns dry. Farmers should service irrigation equipment before transplanting and confirm that sufficient water is available for crop establishment, rather than waiting until moisture becomes a problem,” he said.
For rain-fed tobacco, early planting may be considered where fields are prepared in advance and adequate planting moisture or water is available, while planting into dry soils could expose crops to unnecessary establishment risks.
Farmers have also been encouraged to conserve moisture through practices such as tie-ridging and potholing if dry conditions develop after transplanting.
Dr Munhenga said protecting leaf quality after production would be equally important as farmers sought to maximise returns from every hectare planted.
“Drought-stressed tobacco can dry rapidly, so growers need to avoid rushing the curing process. Leaves should be harvested at physiological maturity and given adequate time for colouring before temperatures are increased for leaf and stem drying,” he said.
He said poor barn loading, excessive temperatures and inadequate ventilation could result in uneven curing and reduce the quality of the finished leaf.
The researchers also warned that weeds could become a bigger problem under dry conditions by competing with tobacco for limited moisture and nutrients.
They urged farmers to prioritise timely field operations while avoiding unnecessary expenditure, poorly calibrated equipment and crop losses.
“When prices are tight, the answer is not simply to spend more on the crop. It is to make every dollar work harder through timely operations, efficient use of water and fertiliser, effective weed and pest management, and careful harvesting, curing and grading,” the researchers said.
The advice comes as growers prepare for the new tobacco season amid uncertainty over both international prices and weather conditions.
With production costs remaining a major concern, farmers face the challenge of maintaining yields and leaf quality without allowing input expenditure to erode already-tight margins.
