Zimbabwe: 66 Million KGs of Tobacco Sold this Year

Source from:  Newsnet (zw) 09/06/2004

Zimbabwe has sold an estimated 66 million kilogrammes of tobacco worth over US$130 million during this year's selling season. Preliminary figures released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board-TIMB showed that a total of 65.3 million kilogrammes of the golden leaf valued at US$132 million had passed through the auction floors since the beginning of the selling season in march. A TIMB official, Mr Kumbirai Mufanebadza told New Ziana that an estimated one million kilogrammes of the crop sold through the contact system is yet to be recorded. He, however, said this year's seasonal mass is 20 percent lower than that of the tobacco sold last year. Tobacco is the country's major foreign currency earner accounting for about 35 percent of gross foreign currency earnings. Enditem