Zimbabwe: Tobacco Production Set to Increase

Source from:  The Herald 09/30/2010

Harare - TOBACCO production in Zimbabwe is set to increase next year as seed sufficient to cover 110 000 hectors has been sold while about 15 000 farmers have so far registered to grow the crop next season. TIMB chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri told New Ziana over the weekend that the board was decentralising registration of farmers. Deadline for registration of growers for marketing the crop has been set for October 30. Dr Matibiri said the number of farmers who have so far registered has surpassed the record for the comparative period last year. "The number of registered farmers has increased by 80 percent from last year," he said. He said the pace at which tobacco seed was being bought showed that farmers were geared to increase production. "Everything from seed sales to growers' registration shows that farmers are dedicated to produce more," he said. Dr Matibiri urged farmers to take registration seriously to avoid delays at the auction floors. "Farmers should register before growing hence our move to enable them to do so by decentralising our operations," said the TIMB boss. Last season 52 000 farmers registered to produce tobacco on 65 000 hectares. At the close of the auction floors on September 3, more than 120 million kilogrammes of tobacco had been sold with the contract system contributing the bulk of the deliveries. The industry had projected an output of 77 million kg to go under the hammer but this was later revised twice, first to 93 million kg and then to 114 million kg. Mop up sales have been slotted for September 28. This year tobacco sales kicked off in February, earlier than the traditional month of April to enable farmers to access cash to pay up debts. Enditem