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Theseus Shambare
FARMERS have purchased close to 1 000 kilogrammes of tobacco seed, enough to cover more than 189 000 hectares with the golden leaf crop, statistics from Kutsaga (formerly the Tobacco Research Board) show.
Farmers who produce tobacco on irrigated land are currently transplanting seedlings from seedbeds to plant in their fields, as preparations for the 2023–2024 summer cropping season shift into top gear.
Kutsaga public relations and communications officer Mr Tatenda Mugabe said there was a huge appetite for tobacco seed this season.
“Tobacco seed sales are at 947,08 kg, covering in excess of 189 417 hectares as of close of business on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
“Farmers are still purchasing the seed and it is clear that there is room for a massive hectarage to be put under tobacco this coming season.”
Zimbabwe recorded its largest tobacco hectarage in 2019, when farmers put 146 000ha under the strategic cash crop, which is one of the country’s biggest foreign currency earners.
Last year, 131 656ha were put under tobacco.
Transplanting of irrigated tobacco in the fields commenced on September 1, while transferring of the dryland crop will begin a month later.
Weather forecast
In its preliminary weather forecast released last week, the Meteorological Services Department said Zimbabwe will receive normal to below-normal rainfall this summer.
Parts of Midlands and Matabeleland provinces will get below-normal rains.
To counter the effects of adverse weather on tobacco production, Kutsaga — the country’s sole tobacco research institution — has developed new drought-tolerant varieties for the forthcoming season.
Kutsaga chief executive officer Dr Frank Magama said: “It is important to ensure that the crop survives the extended dry period.
“Tobacco is naturally a hard crop, but the propensity and frequent occurrence of drought periods resulted in the development of novel genetics capable of tolerating severe drought conditions.
“Two varieties, KRK71 and KRK75, have a remarkable capacity to rebound, give high yields and maintain leaf quality after a debilitating drought growing season.
“These two varieties should be the varieties of choice in drought-prone areas and also when drought is forecast.”
In a drought year, Dr Magama said, it is recommended that growers select varieties with high-leaf potential and slow-maturing cultivars that can withstand drought stress.
“Cultivars with low leaf potential such as K RK26R, K RK22 and K RK23 may flower early when exposed to a prolonged period of drought stress,” he added.
“However, when the slow-maturing varieties are used, this calls for early planting with planting hole water and not waiting for the rains, as they yield well when given a long season.”
Zimbabwe, through the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Strategy, seeks to increase tobacco output to 300 million kg by 2025, and enhance value addition and beneficiation of the golden leaf.
Overall, the tobacco industry is expected to grow to a US$5 billion sector by 2025.
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Online Reporter