The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
THE tobacco sector is about to flourish yet again as small-holder growers are expecting handsome rewards for their high grade flue-cured golden leaf.
Those with high quality leaf are already equating the rich aroma of their fresh dried golden leaf to hard currency.
They expect the ‘good leaf and good price’ mantra to play out when the tobacco auction floors eventually opens in March.
Farming is a business, and growers hope to get a return on their investment in a sector where the quality of the leaf determines its price.
If the field tours of tobacco sponsored by Voedsel Tobacco International are anything to go by, then better days are beckoning for growers with high quality crop.
So far, Voedsel has held 22 field days in all tobacco growing hubs of Manicaland.
The company is educating growers on best handling and curing practices, ring-fencing the sponsored crop, and informing them on transport and payment modalities for this season.
Farmers are also being equipped with financial and investment literacy skills.
Voedsel has contracted 18 000 farmers across the country, of which 10 000 are in Manicaland.
It has injected US$12 million in fertilisers, inputs and labour, and is expecting to buy 25 million kilogrammes from farmers at an average price of US$3. 50 per kg, when US$.030 is factored in for the transport costs.
This will be three million kilogrammes up from the 22 million kgs bought last year.
Small-scale farmers are the largest contributors of the sponsored crop, and are looking forward to rich pickings this season now that they will be paid 75 percent of their total earnings in US dollars and 25 percent in local currency at the prevailing exchange rate.
Last season they were paid 60 percent in hard currency. Mr Wickson Kalanje said tobacco farming is a profitable business.
He said contracted small-holder farmers deserve good prices since there are lots of contractual obligations to be met, which in the absence of a fair pricing system will see them sinking in debt.
Mr Kalanje started growing tobacco in 1994 but had nothing to show for it until 2020.
“I worked with several contractors but I had absolutely nothing to show for my sweat. I am a tobacco management graduate, but my best crop would fetch an average price of US$2,20 per kg, which was exploitative. It was slavery.
“My first sale with Voedsel in 2020 saw my 16 bales fetching US$6,95 per kg. Last season when I delivered my bales I was asked to value them. I wept because the quality was not as good, and I put it at US$5,20 and they paid.
“That rare gesture motivated me to improve the quality of my leaf this season. I planted seven hectares and I am expecting an average yield of 3 000kgs per hectare. I will certainly smile all the way to the bank,” he said.
Over the last two seasons Mr Kalanje has bought a tractor, a truck and 30 cattle.
He has also installed irrigation infrastructure on his plot.
In addition, he has increased his hectarage by leasing underutilised adjacent fields.
Another farmer, Mr James Nyambudu, said tobacco farming has improved his standard of living.
Mr Nyambudu now has 75 cattle and 55 goats.
He is also doing piggery and poultry projects.
He planted six hectares of tobacco and expects a total yield of 18 000kgs.
“Last season I made huge profits which enabled me to purchase a truck. l built a new farm house and drilled a solar powered borehole. As a result my lifestyle has completely changed. I didn’t have a car or decent house before, but I am now a proud owner of such properties.
“My expectations are even higher this season. Contractors must continue paying good prices for good leaf to extricate small-holder growers out of poverty,” he said.
Mr Booker Chinamasa said tobacco farmers must fetch prices above the break-even price of US$3.30 per kg, failure of which very few farmers will be able to return to the fields next season.
Voedsel managing director, Mr Tenson Wandi said their vision is to empower farmers financially and materially to ensure sustainable tobacco production.
“We have been seeing the exploitation of small-holder farmers and went into the industry to transform their lives for the better,” he said.
Voedsel chief executive officer, Mr Innocent Mahufe, echoed the same sentiments.
“When growers go to the floors they often come back with nothing. We tracked the whole value chain and realised that some companies are making super profits at the expense of tobacco farmers. We need to promote our farmers by paying them better prices,” said Mr Mahufe.
“A high grade leaf should fetch a good price, it is as simple as that,” said Mr Mahufe.
