THE 2009/10 tobacco output is projected to surpass 80 million kilogrammes, compared to the 56 million kilogrammes of the crop that went through the auction floors last season, an official has said.Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president, Wilson Nyabonda, said this year there was an increase in the number of farmers registering to grow tobacco due to the introduction of foreign currency.
According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (Timb), at least 17 000 tobacco farmers countrywide registered to grow tobacco in the 2009/2010 agricultural season.
In the previous agricultural season, 10 000 registered to plant the golden leaf.
This year there has been an upsurge of farmers registering to put their land under tobacco farming. As a result, 65 000 hectares are under tobacco farming, which is a significant increase if compared to 50 000 hectares that were put under tobacco in the previous season, he said.
Zimbabwe realised more than US$168 million from last year’s crop with prices averaging US$3,02 per kg between April and August.
Commenting on the tobacco crop situation countrywide, the ZCFU president said both rain-fed and irrigated tobacco growing well.
However, he said the expected target may not be reached because of a number of challenges tobacco farmers in the country were facing this farming season.
The projected target may not be met because of a number of challenges tobacco farmers are facing right now. The availability of inputs such as ammonium nitrate and Compound C fertilizer in the country is limited. The country’s fertilizer manufacturing companies are faced with operational constraints to produce ammonium nitrate in abundance for farmers in the country. As a result, the targeted tobacco output for 2009/10 farming season may not be achieved, said Mr Nyabonda.
The 100 percent retention of tobacco proceeds for farmers that was introduced under a new liberalised agricultural marketing framework this year, the Government said, meant that income directly benefited farmers.
Meanwhile, Timb and Agribank assistance schemes have seen A2 farmers commit 20 000 hectares to the crop while small-scale growers have planted 15 000 hectares.
Over the years, Zimbabwe used to produce 200 million kg of tobacco.
Post published in: Economy