Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
TOBACCO farmers have earned more than US$673 million from sales so far this marketing season as authorities intensify calls for growers to destroy tobacco stalks to protect future crops from pests and diseases.
According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), a total of 266 048 071 kilogrammes of tobacco valued at US$673 076 147 had been sold as of May 21, reflecting continued strong performance by Zimbabwe’s leading agricultural export crop.
The latest figures come as many farmers across tobacco-producing regions begin preparations for the next production season following the peak marketing period.
However, TIMB warned that failure to destroy tobacco stalks after harvesting poses a major threat to future production, crop quality and farmer profitability.
Under the Plant Pests and Diseases Act [Chapter 19:08], all tobacco growers are legally required to destroy tobacco stalks by May 15 each year.
Authorities said standing stalks become breeding grounds for pests, diseases, viruses and nematodes that survive between growing seasons and later attack new crops.
“Those leftover stalks become homes for pests, diseases, viruses and nematodes. They allow these destructive organisms to survive from one season to another, waiting quietly for the next tobacco crop to emerge,” said TIMB.
The board said proper stalk destruction involves uprooting the entire tobacco plant and removing all living roots from the soil to create what experts describe as a “dead period”, where no living tobacco plants remain in the field.
This process interrupts pest and disease cycles and reduces infestations in the following season.
TIMB warned that farmers who fail to comply often face rising production costs due to increased chemical usage and persistent pest outbreaks.
“Some pests even become resistant to chemicals over time, forcing growers to increase dosages and buy more agrochemicals just to achieve the same results,” the board said.
The warning comes as farmers continue to grapple with subdued global tobacco prices and increasing input costs, which are squeezing profitability in the sector.
Agricultural experts say stalk destruction remains one of the cheapest and most effective cultural methods of pest and disease control available to farmers.
TIMB also stressed that healthy fields are essential in preserving the quality and competitiveness of Zimbabwean tobacco on international markets.
Diseases such as Tobacco Mosaic Virus negatively affect the colour, texture, chemical composition and market value of tobacco leaves.
“Zimbabwe’s tobacco has earned international respect because of its quality, consistency and flavour profile. Protecting that reputation begins in the field with good agricultural practices,” said the board.
The regulator further reminded growers that June 1 remains the earliest legal date for the establishment of tobacco seedbeds, warning that early planting exposes seedlings to pests and diseases.
Farmers were also encouraged to adopt crop rotation practices after stalk destruction to improve soil fertility, suppress pests naturally and enhance yields.
TIMB urged growers who are yet to comply with the stalk destruction regulations to act urgently to safeguard both individual farms and the wider tobacco industry.
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi