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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
Farmers have earned US$650 million from the sale of 213 million kilogrammes of tobacco since the opening of the marketing season compared to 211m kg sold at US$589 million during the same period last year, statistics released by the industry regulator show.
The auction floors officially closed on July 26 although farmers under contract farming continued to deliver their crop.
The bulk of the crop being produced in Zimbabwe is under contract farming and very few contracted growers are still selling their tobacco.
According to statistics from Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB), prices at the auction floors continued to be firm because of low volumes at an average price of US $3,06 compared to US$2,79 same period last year.
TIMB spokesperson Mrs Chelesani Sarwe said the marketing season progressed fairly well adding that this year’s target cannot be met because of erratic rainfalls which affected the crop.
The industry had targeted a volume of 250 million kg for 2022 season but this was seriously hampered by the erratic rainfall patterns.
“We are still expecting deliveries from few farmers who are contracted. It’s unfortunate we cannot meet the target because of the prolonged dry spells and erratic rains which affected the production of the crop,” she said.
The tobacco sector continued to grapple with side marketing but the gazetting of a statutory instrument helped to deal with the problem.
“The season had its fair share of challenges, but we managed to pull through. The Zimbabwe flavour tobacco was on high demand and average prices offered were firmer this season,” Mrs Sarwe said.
“With the gazetting of the SI 77 of 2022 specific to tobacco side marketing, the TIMB Inspectorate Department was able to bring to book growers and companies that were side marketing. Repeated offenders were made to pay administrative penalties to TIMB and this went a long way in deterring this problem.”
The future of the tobacco industry, she said, lay in improving the viability of growers, compliance to regulations and sustainable tobacco production including good agricultural labour practice.
Zimbabwe National Farmers’ Union vice president Mr Edward Dune said erratic rainfall compromised the quality of leaf.
He said farmers should practice crop rotation to improve production and ensure viability.
“From the onset tobacco was heavily affected by climatic conditions and this seriously compromised the leaf quality. We advise farmers to take up horticulture and diversify their operations,” he said.
He also warned farmers to buy inputs from reputable dealers to avoid buying fake drugs and seeds that were being peddled on the market.
Tobacco is ranked as one of the most economically important non-food crops in Zimbabwe, earning billions in local currency equivalent annually.
The growing of the crop contributes significantly to improving the livelihoods of many people, from the farmers in the main tobacco areas, to the merchants and to the processing done locally before the leaf is exported.
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