Tobacco growers forum launched

interaction among farmers, service providers and buyers.
In an interview in Harare yesterday, BTF public relations manager Mr Alex Zokoto, said the programme, the first of its kind in Zimbabwe, had been launched in Harare South as a starting point and would soon spread to other provinces across the country.
“Farmers from areas such as Darwendale, Goromonzi and Manicaland attended the launch last Saturday and expressed a lot of interest in being involved in the implementation of the programme.
“There were also farmers’ unions, tobacco buyers, representatives from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board and the Kutsaga Research Board at the launch of the programme,” he said.
Mr Zokoto said the programme would enable farmers to meet and discuss pertinent matters within the industry and would motivate competition and nurture the exchange of ideas without many hassles.
“Through one-on-one meetings with their service providers farmers can develop business confidence in their partners while their partners also have a chance to understand them for better co-operation.
“This should help improve service delivery and boost information dissemination.
“The land reform ushered in many new farmers into the industry and the majority of them do not have adequate knowledge of growing the crop so they will also get the chance to raise complaints, ask questions and even express their sentiments,” said Mr Zokoto.
Tobacco used to be a preserve of the few white farmers who possessed the bulk of the country’s arable and fertile land while the majority blacks were relegated to the infertile and less productive soils.
He added that some farmers may have all the resources necessary for effective tobacco production but lacked the technical know-how.
The programme, he said, would accord them the chance to unravel mysteries on proper use of resources.
“Farmers will also discuss marketing issues while as BTF we will get to know what they expect when they come to the floors with their produce.
“We will also take some time to make farm visits in the near future so that we see what they are doing and where necessary give them technical assistance to produce a good crop that translates into quality crops.
“Quality crops earn high prices and we also benefit when farmers get good prices,” he said.
Today the country has over 60 000 tobacco growers, the majority of whom come from the smallholder category.
This year over 170 million kilogrammes of the golden leaf are expected to go under the hammer.