Chronicle Editor
Nokuthaba Brita Ncube, [email protected]
GIVEN the growing interest in tobacco farming in Matabeleland provinces in recent years, the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (Timb) is considering establishing an auction floor in the region to allow farmers to get prompt services and help grow the sector.
At the moment, tobacco growing is largely conducted in Mashonaland provinces where farmers reap millions of dollars each year through selling the golden lead at auction floors.
In a recent statement, Timb spokesperson, Ms Chelesani Moyo, said subject to meeting the requirements, the board was considering issuing a contract or auction floor licence in the region.
“The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (Timb) will issue a Contract or Auction Floor licence if the application meets the requirements,” she said.
“Some of the considerations include but are not limited to a significant number of growers in that area who wish to sell to that floor and also operating costs.”
Ms Moyo said establishing an auction floor in Matabeleland region would be a game changer for farmers and will drive further capacity building of agricultural advisory services officials.
Most farmers from the region have been shunning tobacco production citing bottlenecks such as transporting their produce to the auction floors in Harare.
One of the successful pioneer tobacco scheme was introduced last year at Syringvale Farm in Ward 11, Marula in Matabeleland South — breaking the decades’ cycle of reliance on subsistence staple grain farming and livestock keeping.
The leading farmer in the pioneer tobacco project harvested 1 000 kilogrammes of the golden leaf whose top-quality grade fetched US$3,40 per kilogramme.
According to Ms Moyo, on July 25, 2024, the first sale of Natural Air Cured Tobacco was held at Mangwe District, exactly 62 years after the last sale during the UDI era in Rhodesia.
She said that the crop (Turkish Tobacco), which was last grown in 1962 was produced by Rosenfels at Nicotine Farm.
Ms Moyo said that a total of 18 growers planted just over 10ha and got an average price of US$3/kg with the highest price pegged at US$3,40/kg.
She further noted that the growing of the natural air-cured tobacco is a milestone towards total industry sustainability.
“Tobacco requires no firewood to cure hence reduces the environmental impact of tobacco production,” Ms Moyo added.
Tobacco is predominantly grown in Mashonaland provinces with a few farmers involved in Midlands Province and not so common in the entire Matabeleland region, which majors in cattle ranching.
Zimbabwe exports flue-cured tobacco around the globe to over 60 countries, with China leading as the major consumer of the golden leaf from Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter