Online Reporter
Agriculture Reporter
TOBACCO growers have been urged to avoid nesting as this may lead to blacklisting from future sales.
Nesting involves hiding inferior tobacco, scrap, or foreign matter (like stones or wet leaves) in the centre of the bale while surrounding it with high-quality leaf.
According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, nesting is a serious offence and is treated as a deliberate act of fraud.
“Any bale found to be nested is immediately forfeited by TIMB, and you receive no payment for it. This offence places a grower under strict scrutiny from contractors and buyers, and in some cases may lead to blacklisting from future sales.
“Integrity remains the cornerstone of sustainable success in tobacco production. The board strongly encourages growers to present clean and properly graded tobacco at all times,” said TIMB.
Growers have also been advised to grade and present their crop to get viable prices on the market.
“Buyers are willing to pay more for well-graded and properly presented tobacco. Proper grading and presentation ensure your tobacco earns the value it deserves.
“Each bale should contain uniform leaves; this means the same leaf position, similar colour and consistent quality. Avoid mixing lugs with cutters or orange with lemon, or good quality leaves with poor ones,” said the TIMB.
Mixed hands often result in lower prices or rejected bales.
The tobacco marketing season opened on March 4 and deliveries to the sales floors have been gradually increasing.
Average prices have remained lower than those offered by buyers during the same period last year.
Most growers, however, expect prices to continue firming as the quality of the leaf improves.
