Tobacco Farmers' Plans Disrupted

Source from:  Business Reporter herald.co.zw 08/28/2007

A significant number of tobacco growers will miss the planting deadlines for the 2007/8 irrigated tobacco by a week or two owing to Zesa's ongoing power cuts that have affected seedlings, Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Mr Wilson Nyabonda has said. Mr Nyabonda told Herald Business that power cuts had disrupted irrigation schedules for the seedlings depriving them of the chance to mature in time for transplanting which begins on September 1 every season. He added that the growers' situation had been made more complex by the shortage of fertilizers like Compound C and chemicals such as EDB, which would also have a telling effect on the final yields. "At least 15 000 tonnes of phosphate should be produced monthly yet they (suppliers) are only managing 5 000 tonnes and instead of getting two full days of uninterrupted power supplies, the mines are getting between five and six hours at night for each of the two days," Mr Nyabonda said. He explained that the development had resulted in gross shortages of phosphate, the central ingredient in the manufacturing of Compound C fertilizer. Mr Nyabonda noted that the bulk of the country's more than 25 000 smallholder growers were grossly ill-equipped and, therefore, found it very difficult to mobilise resources to prepare their land for planting. "We urge the authorities to consider them first especially in the current Government-led mechanisation programme so that we boost our foreign revenue from a broader production base," Mr Nyabonda added. He further noted that the re-introduction of the 20 percent foreign currency retention scheme by the Government had made it possible for smallholder growers to service their debts easily including payments for implements. The ZCFU president also said it was disturbing for the Government to stop assisting growers with 50ha and below of land with fuel, adding that the development had plunged farmers' plans into turmoil yet they produced the bulk of the golden leaf. Under the arrangement farmers approach their Arex offices for help in securing fuel. Mr Nyabonda however revealed that the ZCFU was engaging Government and other stakeholders on the need to have funding available for the smallholder farmers every season just like what is happening with other crops. That would enable the farmers to buy inputs. ZCFU was currently holding talks with Hwange Colliery in an effort to establish an easy flow of coal to the farming communities so that the curing of the golden leaf would not be interrupted by shortages as had been the case previously. "Farmers should also buy generators after the sale of their produce as a way of safeguarding their interests against power shortages that obviously affect their yields at the end of the season," Mr Nyabonda said. He encouraged farmers to take up training courses on tobacco production seriously so that they improved the quality of their produce, which had sadly caused price disputes every marketing season. This year the country expects to put at least 60 000ha under tobacco with Mr Nyabonda saying seed sales pointed towards 72 000ha mark. "Even though there are numerous challenges littering the start of the season, we expect to surpass last season's 55 000ha and even produce more," Mr Nyabonda said. Enditem