The Sunday Mail
Livingstone Marufu
Tobacco farmers are set to adopt drought resistant crop varieties next season with stakeholders calling for greater drip irrigation use in to ensure improved harvests and counter the negative effects of climate change.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chairperson Mrs Monica Chinamasa said climate change threatened the survival of the tobacco sector, hence the need to put in place mitigatory measures.
“We need to adjust and adapt to the unfavourable weather pattern through good agronomic practices that reduce exposure to the harsh climatic conditions. TIMB is now at an advanced stage of releasing drought tolerant crop varieties,” she said.
Mrs Chinamasa said TIMB and Agribank had set aside US$1 million as loans for small-scale tobacco farmers to build fuel efficient barns and establish drip irrigation.
“Installation of drip irrigation systems will, besides improving tobacco production, have a positive impact on food security,” she said.
“We note there has been cutting down of trees as farmers cure their tobacco hence we are advocating conservation farming techniques.”
Mrs Chinamasa said there were plans to train farmers on growing good a quality crop and to increase harvests.
She said as tobacco selling commenced this week, farmers should follow procedures to avoid being inconvenienced.
The tobacco marketing season begins Wednesday with Zimbabwe aiming to rake in US$666 million from sales.
TIMB anticipates farmers to deliver between 160 and 180 million kilogrammes of tobacco to be sold at an average US$3,70 per kg.
Tobacco exports rake in US$220 million
Livingstone Marufu
ZIMBABWE has earned US$223,5 million from 35,3 million kilogrammes of tobacco exported to mainly South Africa and China since the beginning of 2016.
Statistics from the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board’s bulletin show that China accounted for over 20,3 million kgs valued at US$164 million while South Africa bought 4, 8 million kgs for US$14, 9 million.
With an estimated 350 million smokers, China has been spending over US$200 million per annum on Zimbabwean tobacco.
Part the TIMB bulletin reads, “As of last week (Thursday), 35,3 million kg were exported to more than 30 countries so far, generating US$223, 5 million into the local economy. The golden leaf is presently being exported to these countries at an average price of US$6,28 a kg compared to US$6,57 (in) the same period last year.”
Belgium has so far bought 1,8 million kgs worth US$9,8 million (average price of US$5,14/kg), followed by Indonesia which has spent US$9,8million on 1,7 million kgs, while Russia stands at 1,4 million kgs worth US$4,4 million.
Other buyers include the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Hong Kong, France, Netherlands, Germany, Holland, Sudan and Tanzania.
Meanwhile, during the 2015/2016 tobacco farming season, golden leaf farmers dropped from 92 430 to 71 728 compared to the previous season.
The Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union said, “The current situation is that there is a decline in the total area planted between the two years by four percent. Lack of confidence in market prices and poor rains are some of the reasons the planted area has gone down. This is witnessed by the drop in the number of registered growers for the 2015/16 season.”
The selling and marketing season officially opens on Thursday.
