Zimbabwe: Tobacco Farmers Urged to Insure Their Crop

Source from:  The Herald 04/29/2011

TOBACCO farmers must insure their crop to guard against hazards which might affect their golden leaf in the event of mishaps. The call follows incidents during the Easter holidays in which tobacco awaiting delivery at the auction floors was drenched by rains while waiting for the reopening of the floors. Experts said that such instances would result in a drop in the value of the crop at the auction. Tobacco Sales Floor managing director Mr James Mutambanesango said that auctioneers had no obligation to repay farmers for tobacco damaged before delivery. "Tobacco consignments remain the responsibility of the farmer up to a time when it is offloaded and received at the floors. "In that case, farmers should have taken 'field to floor insurance cover' to cater for their crop outside the auction," he said. Affected farmers, however, felt TSF should have assisted in saving their crop since it was damaged while at their premises. "TSF should have opened the warehouse for us to deliver even during the weekend because my crop is definitely going to fetch a low price since its quality has deteriorated," said Mr Patrick Chiyerera. The Karoi-based farmer, whose 31 bales were affected, said he would take insurance cover for his crop next season. "After drying the tobacco in the sun I realised the need to have floor insurance cover," he said. Mr Mutambanesango, however, did not have kind words for the farmers whose tobacco was affected by rains. "The farmers are quite irresponsible in a way since they could not cover their tobacco. It is not our concern, but it is their responsibility to look after their crop till the last day," he said. "It is regrettable when tobacco is lost but farmers should seriously consider taking up insurance cover with companies most of which are operating at our premises," he said. Mr Mutambanesango also said TSF was considering barring trucks with uncovered tobacco from entering their premises. "This auction floor will not allow uncovered trucks to deliver tobacco to minimise the effects of weather hazards to the crop," he said. Enditem