Zimbabwe Tobacco Output Hits Record High

Source from:  Xinhua 09/28/2018

Zimbabwe's tobacco output for the 2017/18 cropping season hit a record high of 252.5 million kilograms, surpassing the country's peak production of 236 million kg in 2000.

Addressing a workshop on tobacco production Thursday, permanent secretary in the ministry of agriculture Ringson Chitsiko attributed the high production to the large number of communal farmers now growing the cash crop, state news agency New Ziana reported.

"In the just ended 2017/18 season, a record 252. 5 million kg of tobacco with a value of just over 737 million U.S. dollars went through our contract and auction floor systems.

"This amount of tobacco is 34 percent higher than that sold in the previous season and also surpasses the highest amount of tobacco ever sold in the country of 236 million kilograms in the year 2000," he said.

Chitsiko said the bulk of the crop came from small-scale, communal and A1 growers who are predominantly beneficiaries of the government's land reform program and the recently introduced command tobacco program which is being administered through the Tobacco Industry Board.

He, however, lamented high deforestation levels caused by the use of firewood for curing tobacco.

He said as much as 300, 000 hectares of indigenous forests were lost annually and tobacco curing was responsible for approximately 15 percent of that loss.

"This is despite Statutory Instrument 116 of 2012 which clearly states that each tobacco grower must establish a woodlot from which they can harvest and fuel their tobacco curing requirements," he said.

He said the government will work together with growers to protect natural forest resources.

According to the Sustainable Forest Association, about one third of tobacco produced in Zimbabwe is cured using coal.

Tobacco is Zimbabwe's major foreign currency earner.  Enditem