Zimbabwe Rakes in 52 Million Dollars From Tobacco Sale

Source from:  english.people.com.cn 06/15/2007

Zimbabwe has raked in a total of 52 million U.S. dollars from tobacco sale since the beginning of the selling season while the tobacco prices remained firm at all the auction floors, according to The Herald on Thursday. The average price per kg remained at 2.16 dollars The volume of flue-cured tobacco being delivered to the country's three tobacco auction floors remained high despite the shortages of tobacco wrapping paper countrywide. Officials at the tobacco auction floors said the deliveries remained high as most farmers were battling to beat the September 30 deadline for the expiry of the price awarded by the Government for quality tobacco. According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, a total of 23,784,739 kg were delivered to the auction floors by end of business in 30 days, doubling the amount delivered to the floors over the same period last year. Farmers who spoke to the Herald Business said given the support that they were getting from the government, they planned to increase tobacco hectares from last years 76,000 to 100,000 for the 2007/08 season. Tobacco Growers Trust president Wilfanos Mashingaidze said farmers were happy with the support price given by government, adding the prices their tobacco was fetching on the market was a good omen for the coming season. The Zimbabwean government recently guaranteed its continued support for the tobacco industry by ensuring the timely disbursement of inputs, extension services and financing. Enditem