Zimbabwe: Tobacco Output Projected to Rise

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) January 25, 2007 01/29/2007

TOBACCO output is set to increase if forecasts for this season are anything to go by. The sector looks set to shrug off the low-production tag it had acquired over the past few years due to recurrent droughts and critical input shortages. In the 1999/2000 season, Zimbabwe produced 210 million kilogrammes, the highest ever achieved in the history of the country, raking in more than US$400 million, in stark comparison to only 55 million kg from last year. Despite the steep decline, however, tobacco has remained one of the country's top foreign currency earners. The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board recently indicated that production for this season was expected to rise to between 70 million and 80 million kg. TIMB technical services director Dr Andrew Matibiri said given developments on the ground, the target could be surpassed. "While there were constraints in accessing ideal tobacco seedlings as well as timely availability of other tobacco inputs such as fertilizers and crop protection chemicals, a relatively bigger crop is expected this year compared to last year," he said. Dr Matibiri attributed the projected higher production to a significant rise in the number of farmers growing the crop. He said more than 50 000 hectares of tobacco had been planted so far and expressed optimism over this season's rainfall. "We are pretty close to achieving the target and if the rains continue falling undeterred, nothing short of 80 million kg would be attained notwithstanding the constraints that have been affecting the industry," he said. Dr Matibiri commended tobacco farmers for being innovative when they turned to alternative sources of fertilizers to dress the crop at a time when the country was facing acute input shortages. Zimbabwe Farmers' Union president Mr Edward Raradza reckoned that the target was attainable as most farmers had now gained production experience. He, however, emphasised the need to procure inputs on time. "Tobacco is not an overnight crop. Foreign currency needed for procuring chemicals for the production of fertilizer needs to be released early to Sable Chemicals, Windmill and the Zimbabwe Fertilizer Company," he said. An agriculture analyst based in the capital castigated the National Railways of Zimbabwe for inefficient delivery of coal and power utility Zesa Holdings for frequent power outages, saying these factors militated against the production of good quality tobacco. He said: "Delays in transporting coal are a major drawback as the curing of tobacco needs to be done on time to avoid crop deterioration." This is the fourth year in a row that tobacco farmers have been hit by coal shortages. Dr Matibiri pointed out that urgent solutions, long-term planning and fair pricing were fundamental to the viability of tobacco growing. Tobacco has the potential to earn over US$700 million annually. Enditem