Zimbabwe: Tobacco Mop Up Sales - Almost 200 000kg Sold

Source from:  The Herald 09/22/2011

NEARLY 200 000 kilogrammes of flue-cured tobacco were sold yesterday during the mop up sales which are expected to end today. The tobacco selling season officially ended on August 18 after 131 days of business. More than 131 million kgs of tobacco had been sold at the country's three auction floors when the season closed. Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri said a total of 2 000 bales were delivered on the first day of the mop up sales. "Last year we had one million kilogrammes of flue-cured tobacco during the mop up sales and the low volumes this season indicate that most growers sold their crop by the end of the season," he said. The mop-up sales were held at the Tobacco Sales Floor, Millennium Tobacco Floors and Boka Tobacco Floors. Dr Matibiri said today sales were likely to be conducted at the Tobacco Sales Floors and Boka Tobacco Floors as some farmers were still bringing their crop by yesterday. The sales may be extended if farmers continue delivering their crop. Dr Matibiri said the crop was selling at competitive prices with the highest price being US$4,85 per kg. Millennium Tobacco Floors marketing and financial manager, Ms Kudzayi Hamadziripi, said the tobacco sales floor sold 400 bales during the mop up sales. "We have received a request from a farmer who wants to deliver 300 bales and he has to seek permission from the TIMB," she said. "It is normal that some farmers wait to sale their crop during the mop up sales, while others will have failed to finish grading and baling during the selling season." About 170 million kgs of flue cured tobacco were expected to go under the hammer this season, but according to the low deliveries, the country will not beat the target. There has been an increase in tobacco production over the past few years and this has been attributed to an increase in the number of tobacco growers as a result of the land reform programme. Zimbabwe is slowly regaining its status as one of the major tobacco producers in the world. Enditem