Online Reporter
Agriculture Reporter
FARMERS across the country have begun establishing tobacco seedbeds as Government steps up engagements with buyers to protect growers from arbitrary price variations.
This comes as some farmers are contemplating reducing tobacco hectarages to avoid incurring losses on the backdrop of low prices buyers are offering this season.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association (ZTGA) chairman, Mr George Seremwe said establishment of seedbeds had started although there was low enthusiasm compared to previous years.
“Farmers are disgruntled because of the prices offered by buyers in the current marketing season. There is so much uncertainty and farmers can possibly go the other route,” he said.
Latest figures from Kutsaga show that by May 28, farmers had bought 120 610 grammes of tobacco seed enough to cover 24 122 hectares compared to 281 765 grammes equivalent to 56 353ha during the same period last year.
According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) farmers had sold 298, 6 million kilogrammes of tobacco valued at US$750, 7 million by June 2 compared to US$870, 9 million that had been earned by farmers after selling 258,6 million kg of the crop during the corresponding period last year.
The statistics show that farmers received the average price of US$ 2,51/ kg, which is 25 percent lower than US$3,37/kg offered during the same period last year.
Mr Seremwe said the farmers’ disgruntlement was further exacerbated by high costs of production for the crop.
“There are so many issues that have to be addressed if farmers are going to be motivated to grow tobacco. Production costs are prohibitive, there are taxes and levies that should be reviewed if tobacco production should viable,” he said.
He urged authorities to look for ways of motivating farmers, for instance, introducing subsidies adding that growers had been firing warning shots for a long time.
“It is important that challenges in the tobacco sector are addressed if we do not want to go the cotton way.”
Cotton production once collapsed due to several challenges, which included low prices, side marketing and poor payment modalities.
Government had to intervene to save the industry and introduced the Presidential Inputs Scheme where farmers were given free seed, fertilisers and chemicals.
This resulted in the industry rebounding and registering increased production although of late there have been some challenges with some as contractors allegedly not giving farmers adequate inputs while the issue of low prices has also added to the grief.
Mr Seremwe said this season few farmers made profits, as most were struggling to break even.
“Tobacco is a precious crop in terms of foreign currency generation. It has been a lucrative crop with the tobacco industry being regarded as a highly organised industry where farmers are paid instantly, which attracted many growers,” he said.
“There is need to save this industry through engagements. Farmers should be consulted when decisions that concern them are made. We are ready to discuss with Government to bring the tobacco sector back to its hey days.”
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said Government was working on addressing issues affecting farmers.
“We are engaging with the major buyers at high level to ensure farmers are protected from unnecessary price variations,” he said.
Zimbabwe is among the top five major producers of flue cured tobacco globally and its leaf is famed for its flavour. Tobacco provides the best economic returns per hectare among all major crops.
This income is used as a springboard to support other farming activities and the development of farm infrastructure. The tobacco value chain employs more than 1,2 million people with up to six million dependants.
