Input Shortages, Rain Threaten Tobacco

Source from:  herald.co.zw New Ziana. 01/22/2008

Shortages of fertilizer and coal, among other factors, may reduce the country's planned tobacco output of 120 million kilogrammes this year, the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association said last Friday. At least 90 percent of the targeted 60 000 hectares have been put under the crop this year. The ZTA said incessant rains, in addition to fertilizer and coal shortages, were also threatening tobacco output. "The incessant rains are threatening the crop as a result of water logging and nutrient leaching whilst the erratic supply of basalt fertilizer and coal from Hwange has worsened the situation," ZTA president Andrew Ferreira told New Ziana on Friday. "Apart from delays in delivering coal, the National Railways of Zimbabwe has doubled its costs in transporting coal," he added. He said the association was pressing the Government to review the support price, pegged at US$1,50 per kg as of last year, noting production costs had risen. As a result of these problems, Mr Ferreira said ZTA projected a tobacco output of 58 million kilogrammes, which is an average of 1 200 kilogrammes per hectare. Last year, Zimbabwe produced 74 million kilogrammes of tobacco. Enditem