admin
Acting Business Editor
THE Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board says sales bookings for the 2014 marketing season have been opened with deliveries accepted from Thursday.The 2014 tobacco auction selling season begins on February 19 while contract sales open the following day.
“Sales bookings will open on Wednesday, 5th February and deliveries accepted as from Thursday 12th February 2014.
“All stakeholders are advised that the 2014 auction tobacco marketing season opens on Wednesday 19th February 2014,” said the marketing board.
It said all tobacco growers should ensure that they are registered and have filed their production estimates with TIMB to sell their crop for the 2014 season and avoid unnecessary delays.
“All persons or companies who intend to transport tobacco should register with TIMB and transporters must ensure that tobacco in transit to the markets is not damaged by rain by providing suitable tarpaulin covers or using covered vehicles,” said TIMB.
Over the years, the tobacco industry has become one of the key sectors of the economy. Last year, output from the sector increased by 15 percent from the 2012 production levels of 144.5 million kilogrammes to about 166.6 million kg in 2013 from some 88,623 hectares that were put under the crop.
The main supporting factors were increased area planted and the number of growers. In 2014, tobacco output is projected to reach 200 million kg on the back of increased planted area and the number of tobacco growers.
And in terms of financing, production will be underpinned by farmers’ own resources, contract farming and bank funding arrangements.
This year’s contractors include a Chinese company called Midriver Enterprises, which is expected to contract nearly 80,000 farmers to produce tobacco.
Terms of the contract include provision of inputs, working capital for wages, as well as coal supply for curing the tobacco, that way reducing deforestation and promoting sustainable environmental protection practices.
Online Reporter