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Elita Chikwati and Lesego Valela
Preparations for the 2022/23 tobacco season are at an advanced stage with farmers having already procured seed enough to cover more than 155 000 hectares.
This comes as farmers are set to start planting irrigated tobacco on September 1.
The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board has already registered 80 314 farmers, 814 of which are new growers.
TIMB public affairs officer Ms Chelesani Moyo encouraged growers to renew their numbers in time and those operating without numbers to register at the board’s head office or any of the regional offices in Mutare, Rusape, Marondera, Chinhoyi, Karoi, Mvurwi or Bindura.
Tobacco Research Board acting chief executive, Mr Oswell Mharapara said by Tuesday Kutsaga has sold 779 kg of tobacco seed enough to cover 155 800 hectares.
“We continue to urge growers to purchase tobacco seeds from authentic sources to avoid disappointment. Currently, growers for the irrigated tobacco crop are seized with the hardening of seedlings and final land preparations in readiness for planting on the September 1,” he said.
Tobacco Farmers Union vice president, Mr Edward Dune said farmers are preparing land and holing up ahead of the planting of the irrigated crop. “We hope there will not be load shedding as this affects irrigation cycles,” he said.
Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe president, Mr George Seremwe said preparations for the 2023 tobacco season were going well.
“The challenge we are facing is that inputs are being sold at exorbitant prices.
“Climate change is also another problem we are confronted with. The winter season was long but the seeds need more sunlight,” he said.
President of Zimbabwe Integrated Commercial Farmers Union Mrs Maiwepi Jiti said irrigated tobacco farmers were currently hardening and trimming the seedlings in readiness for planting.
“Most farmers are ready to plant although here is a shortage of ammonium nitrate on the market. Contract companies are distributing basal fertilisers and other inputs excluding AN.
Farmers are complaining over high cost of production where inputs including coal, electricity, labour, and services costs are constantly increasing.
“We discourage farmers from employing children on the farms especially for tobacco production.
“As we start the next season, we urge contractors to honour their obligations by supplying adequate inputs and also paying farmers on time,” she said.
TIMB is also working with the Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco (ECLT) foundation to eliminate all forms of child labour in tobacco production in Zimbabwe by 2025.
Ms Moyo said over 90 percent of the tobacco produced in Zimbabwe was done under contract farming.
“TIMB is making it mandatory for contractors to have child labour policies and processes in place to accelerate the adoption by farmers.
“The hope is if done correctly, this will then cascade to the small percentage of free growers,” she said.
“For more than a decade, the players in the tobacco sector in Zimbabwe have been implementing various programmes to drive sustainability in their supply chains. This commitment is embodied in the board’s new vision — “Towards sustainable tobacco production, enhanced marketing systems, and improved livelihoods in Zimbabwe by 2025 and its new tagline ‘For Livelihoods. For Sustainability’,” she said.
Online Reporter