ZIMBABWE expects to produce 230 million kilogrammes of tobacco in the 2023 marketing season, up from 212 million kg last year.
The anticipated yield is on the back of good rains the country has been receiving in the 2022/2023 cropping season and improved hectarage following Government’s support.
The 2023 marketing season is expected to begin this month.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) chairperson Mr Patrick Devenish told The Sunday Mail Business that the quality of the crop was better than last year’s.
“Although we are yet to finalise our crop estimate, we still maintain the initial estimate of 230 million kg from 212 million kg in the previous marketing season.
“The improved tobacco yield is because a bigger hectarage was planted and the good rains that we have received so far this season,” he said.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe said: “Farmers are preparing to go to the market and TIMB has been proactive in terms of market information dissemination to curb side-marketing of the crop.”
TIMB has decentralised selling of the golden leaf to all growing regions.
Ninety selling points were established last year.
The Government last year gazetted Statutory Instrument 77 of 2022 to discourage side marketing of the cash crop, which is one of Zimbabwe’s major foreign currency earners, accounting for about 30 percent of the country’s forex earnings.
It brings in nearly US$1 billion annually.
Dr Makombe said farmers were upbeat that this year’s yield will be better than the previous season.
“In terms of the agronomic practices, the farmers have been and are looking after the crop very well, from seedbed to the auction, and we don’t expect any damage to the tobacco as a result of the rains,” he said.
“The area under tobacco has increased this year because of the incentives the farmers have received from Government.”
For example, last year, tobacco growers were paid 75 percent directly into their foreign currency accounts, which were treated as free funds, while 25 percent was paid in local currency.
This year, tobacco farmers are anticipating higher foreign currency retention.
In its latest Monetary Policy Statement, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has set the retention threshold for all exporters at 75 percent.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union past president Mr Wonder Chabikwa said reaping, curing and grading of the irrigated tobacco has been taking place since December last year.
“Generally, in Zimbabwe, tobacco is grown through the rain-fed method and irrigation.
“So, for the irrigated crop, which we transplant from the 1st of September each year, reaping, curing and grading have been taking place since December last year, and the crop is ready for the opening of this year’s marketing season,” he said.
“The crop has done very well in terms of quality, and regarding the opening of the selling season, communication has been relayed that the season is opening earlier than last year, but I am not sure of the exact date.”
For the dry-land tobacco, Mr Chabikwa said the crop was also in good shape.
“The dry-land crop is also doing very well on the back of the rains that we have received in the past two weeks or so.”
About 160 000 farmers grow tobacco in Zimbabwe, which is then exported to over 60 countries across the globe. – Sunday Mail
