Zimbabwe: Tobacco Output Doubles

Source from:  AllAfrica.com 07/27/2010

TOBACCO output breached the 100 million kg mark on Wednesday nearly doubling last year's deliveries to the auction floors, figures from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) released last week show. The milestone marks a major rebound despite a proposed global ban on the crop. According to TIMB figures 100 810 264 kg had been auctioned by Wednesday raking in US$297 106 623 since the selling season opened on February 16. The output is nearly double the amount auctioned in the same period last year when 56 738 341 kg went under the ha-mmer raking in US$169 799 656. This year's target had been set at 77 million kg but was later moved to 100 million kg two weeks ago. With sales having breached the 100 million kg mark, it means the sales are now within touching distance of the 120 million kg target set by Finance Minister Tendai Biti in the 2010 national budget. Tobacco output has plunged in Zimbabwe since 2001 following the chaotic farm invasions that started in February 2000. In 2000, Zimbabwe produced 236 million kg of tobacco and was the world's second largest exporter after Brazil. It now ranks behind Brazil, India, the US, Argentina and Tanzania, according to the web-site of Universal, the world's biggest tobacco leaf merchant. The high output is attributed to the interest by farmers in the crop on the back of high prices that prevailed last year. Tobacco is one of the country's largest foreign currency earners and contributed 26% of the national Gross Domestic Product last year up from 12% in 2008. Zimbabwe and other tobacco producing countries have to stave off measures from the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) proposed guidelines that would have a bearing on the crop. Article 9 of the FCTC proposes measures for testing and measuring the contents and emissions of tobacco products. It also calls for the regulation of these contents and emissions under Article 9. Articles 17 & 18 of the convention advocate support to farmers to grow alternative crops and the protection of the environment and health of persons respectively. Enditem