Tobacco Planting Season on Course

Source from:  herald.co.zw By Joseph Madzimure 08/20/2007

FARMER organisations have urged major tobacco stakeholders such as power utility Zesa Holdings and Hwange Colliery Company to increase their production capacity ahead of the 2007/08 tobacco planting season which begins in two months' time. Last year tobacco planting and curing was hampered by critical electricity and coal shortages resulting in the targeted hectarage being revised down, and recently most wheat farmers lost the bulk of their crop due to power outages. With more than 360 kilogrammes of tobacco seed — enough to cover over 72 000 hectares of land — having been sold to farmers so far, the impending tobacco season could see a further increase in output of the golden leaf. At least 80 million kilogrammes of the golden leaf is expected to go under the hammer this year, up from 55 million kg last year. Commenting on the state of preparedness in the tobacco sector, farmer organisations expressed optimism that tobacco production would go up provided adequate support was availed on time. Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers' Union president Mr Wilson Nyabonda said tobacco was a key crop that called for special attention from all stakeholders. "There is need for Zesa and Hwange to play their part to avoid the same mistakes that have been occurring over the past few years," he said. The current power cuts have already seen most farmers experiencing poor germination and growth in their nurseries. Zimbabwe Farmers' Union vice-president Mr Edward Raradza said preparations for both the irrigated and dry land tobacco were on course as most growers had been allocated tractors for tillage. "Tobacco seedbeds are going well, but our main worry at the moment remains power for irrigation. This is affecting progress on their seedbeds as they rely on irrigation," he said. Mr Raradza said tobacco farmers were aiming to double tobacco production in the coming season but indicated this could only be achieved if all stakeholders pulled in the same direction. Although the power utility said it would ensure uninterrupted power supplies to farmers, the farming sector said it was still experiencing power cuts which the power utility has, in turn, blamed on the inadequate coal supplies from HCCL. According to figures released by farmer organisations, HCCL is expected to deliver close to 500 000 tonnes of coal to tobacco farmers. Hwange recently suspended coal supplies to middlemen, accusing them of profiteering. The coal miner insisted it would in future directly supply all end-users with their needs. The National Railways of Zimbabwe has also assured farmers that it would allocate enough wagons to transport coal. Enditem