Tobacco farmers prepare for marketing season

with most farmers presently engaged in harvesting and curing of the crop.

In an interview, tobacco expert Mr Thomas Nherera said grading of the crop was expected in the next few weeks.

“This year’s marketing season is expected to open on the 12th of February and we are expecting that we will have a better quality crop than the previous selling season.

“At the moment, farmers in most tobacco growing regions are harvesting and curing the crop and we expect that grading will start in the next few weeks to come,” he said.

He said a minimum of four auction floors would be available during this year’s marketing season adding that the number of contract floors will be known when auctioning starts.

He said the rainfall experienced throughout the country was good for the irrigated crop although the farmers were yet to ascertain the impact of the downpours on the quality of the crop.

“This season we have a very good irrigated crop that has taken advantage of the current rains. However, we are yet to ascertain the extent of the rains’ impact on the crop. We hope the impact will be determined in the next few weeks,” he said.

Mr Nherera said this year’s plantings were higher than last year.

“Plantings are higher than last year. However, it is a bit too early to give a specific figure of the projected output”.

The country expects to produce 170 million kg of tobacco this season after 77 910 hectares of land were put under the crop, 38 percent up from 56 377 hectares last season.

In the 2012 marketing season, 144 million kilogrammes of the golden leaf went under the hammer generating more than $500 million.

The tobacco industry is one of Zimbabwe’s key sectors expected to stimulate economic growth.

Following the adoption of a multi-currency system and the liberalisation of the economy in February 2009, the tobacco industry has been on a rebound with more farmers venturing into the sector.

As of 14 December 2012, statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) showed that 64 775 farmers were registered as growers this year.