Zimbabwe: Date for Burley Tobacco Selling Season Set

Source from:  The Herald 05/05/2009

THE selling season for oriental and burley tobacco will begin on May 13, a week after the start of the virginia tobacco marketing season, TIMB said. British America Tobacco is the sole registered buyer of oriental tobacco while Savanna Tobacco, Gold Driven Investments and Export Leaf Tobacco Pvt Ltd are this season's authorised burley tobacco contractors and will purchase the crop using an agreed price formula. TIMB acting chief executive, Dr Andrew Matibiri said Harare sales for oriental tobacco would be conducted at the Zimbabwe Tobacco Growing Company or old BAT premises. Thereafter sales shall take place every week on Wednesdays at ZTGC floors in Southerton. Oriental sales will also be held in Gutu and Chivhu. Burley daily sales will be conducted during the first week. Thereafter, sales will be conducted at designated points on Tuesdays and Thursdays until all the tobacco has been sold. Gold Driven Investments (Pvt) Ltd will conduct their contract sales at Tobacco Sales Floor premises, Export Leaf Tobacco (Pvt) Ltd at ZTGC premises and Savanna Tobacco (Pvt) Ltd will conduct their sales at BMZ premises. "Contracted growers will deliver tobacco to the buying point of their contractor but non -contracted growers are free to sell to a buyer of their choice," said Dr Matibiri. He added that all consignments had to be booked-in, where possible, before delivery. This procedure shall be in force for the whole selling season. Transporters delivering tobacco are required to contact the contractor before making any delivery. Tobacco which is unacceptable after being classified mouldy, funked, damaged, badly handled or unsaleable greens should be removed by the grower for re-handling or can be bought outside the pricing structure if so required subject to agreement by the grower or his representative. BAT will supply and pay for transport of tobacco from the decentralised sales. For tobacco delivered for sale to Burley Marketing Zimbabwe premises a reimbursement of US$0,50 per kg of tobacco bought will be paid to the grower by BAT. In accordance with the TIMB, no registered grower is allowed to sell tobacco grown by him but marked with somebody else's number, or tobacco not grown by him but marked with his registered number unless he has obtained written permission from the Board. "The Board shall allot only one number per farming unit to a registered grower with documentary proof of land availability. "Random samples will be taken from tobacco from all areas in order to ensure that tobacco delivered for sale is free from pesticide residues," added Dr Matibiri. Enditem