$1,9 Billion Tobacco Chemical Disappears

Source from:  The Herald (zw) By Obert Chifamba  05/25/2004

MYSTERY surrounds the whereabouts of 22,5 tonnes of methylbromide, a tobacco pesticide, worth $1,9 billion, which disappeared while in transit from South Africa to Harare recently. Methlybromide is a fumigation pest killer used in preparing tobacco seedbeds. The chemical was supposed to be in the country by now in time for the commencement of the preparation of seedbeds before the June 1 deadline. By yesterday, the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda), BAK Storage and the National Railways of Zimbabwe — the three players in the transport arrangements — had not located the pesticide, which was last accounted for at Dabuka Railway Station in Gweru on May 16. The mysterious disappearance of two containers containing the chemical will significantly dent the Arda's aspirations to establish tobacco seedbeds to cater for 3 000 hectares of irrigated land. Arda director of tobacco development Mr Meanwell Gudu said the chemical was supposed to see 3 000ha of irrigated tobacco established as part of the authority's intentions to participate in the cropping of between 8 000ha to 10 000ha of tobacco for the 2004/5 farming season. "This was the first consignment of the chemicals that we are having to import from South Africa as there are no local companies that produce it. The chemical should have reached the intended destination by now to beat the June 1 deadline for the establishment of seedbeds," he said. Mr Gudu said Arda intended to raise more seedbeds that would enable another 5 000ha of tobacco to be established on dry land. But the failure to locate the fumigant by Arda, BAK Storage and the NRZ meant that there would be a delay of the process and the effects would also be transferred to the final national tobacco yields. According to Mr Gudu, the pesticide consignment left South Africa two weeks ago en route to Zimbabwe and had an interlude at Dabuka before proceeding on May 16 to arrive in Harare the following day. The fumigant was being transported by the NRZ. The chemical was supposed to have been stocked at the BAK Storage premises, but management at the company has since indicated that the consignment never arrived. They even allowed Mr Gudu to conduct a physical search of the premises, which yielded nothing. "We have the numbers of the two containers and they are not among the lot that is here, which means that we can only unlock the mystery by making a follow-up with NRZ," Mr Gudu said. An NRZ spokesperson said they were hearing the story from the Press and had not been approached by Arda. They were waiting to hear from the parastatal if anything of that sort had happened. However, the delay in the location of the fumigant will have serious implications on the tobacco industry's efforts to beat the national target yield and might mean that Zimbabwe will fail to re-establish itself as one of the most prominent producers of the crop in the world. Furthermore, it is likely to force most new farmers and those without reasonable financial means to pull out of tobacco production. Enditem