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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau
MANICALAND has registered an 8 percent increase in the area put under tobacco for the 2017/18 summer cropping season despite the prevailing dry spell.
Statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board show that as at January 31, a total of 21 302 hectares had been put under the golden leaf compared to 19 677 ha during the same period last season.
There was a rise in the rain-fed crop to 19 684 ha from 17 363 ha in the same period last year as farmers were expecting more rainfall.
As a result, there was a slight decrease in the area put under irrigation to 1 618 ha from 2 314 ha in the prior period.
Across the country, the area put under tobacco has slightly decreased from 110 518 hectares last year to 104 397 hectares.
Mashonaland Central now has about 29 117 hectares under tobacco while Mashonaland East and West have 34 956 ha and 18 674 ha respectively. Midlands, Masvingo and Matabeleland South have the least number of hectares under the golden leaf at 298 ha, 48 ha and 2 ha, respectively.
According to the TIMB bulletin, the total number of new tobacco growers has gone up to 33 307 this season from 14 841 recorded in the same period last season.
Manicaland registered a 232 percent rise in new registrations from 1 543 in the 2016/17 season to 5 122 this season.
The province also registered a 67 percent increase in registered tobacco growers to 17 714 from 10 630 during the same period last season.
The number of communal farmers taking up tobacco farming has grown to 58 434 as at the review period.
There are 43 769 A1 farmers, 7 588 A2 farmers and 6 734 small scale growers who have registered to grow the golden leaf.
Previously a preserve for commercial farmers, tobacco has become an attractive source of livelihood for most of Zimbabwe’s communal and small scale farmers.
Online Reporter