The ManicaPost
Chipo Katsidzira Post Correspondent
TOBACCO production is set to increase sharply in Manicaland as more growers have registered to grow the lucrative crop in the 2018/19 season, statistics from the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) reveal.
Manicaland tobacco specialist Mr Douglas Nzarayebani said the latest TIMB stats reveal that 124 000 farmers have so-far registered to grow the cash crop this season compared to 84 000 last season.
He said an increase in cultivated land put under tobacco will transcend into a sharp increase in the production of the crop.
About 20 000 hectares of both irrigated and dryland tobacco were grown in the province last season.
“Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) statistics show that 21 302 hectares had been put under the golden leaf as at January 31 compared to 19 677 hectares planted during the same period last season,” he said.
He said tobacco farmers deserve a merit for increasing the production of the golden leaf.
“Tobacco growers deserve praises for setting this production record; a record which is more notable given the odds against them. It was not easy, but they did it.
“The performance is more evidence to prove that the growers are settling in, only 19 years after most of them started growing tobacco. They should continue working harder to produce more and better crop next year. The crop continues to have a positive impact on the social and economic wellbeing of growers. It earns them large sums of money which they use to educate and feed their families; acquire and build various assets such as cars and houses.
It is a source of employment for the growers, their families, labourers and many more citizens in the value chain. On a larger scale, the economy earns a lot of foreign currency from it, only second behind gold,” he added.
Mr Nzarayebani said while they were delighted that the unfavourable weather conditions experienced last season had not resulted in a slump in tobacco harvest, they were concerned about the average price farmers were getting at the auction floors.
