Tobacco Farmers Sell 55 Million Kilogrammes

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) 08/19/2005

Tobacco farmers have to date sold 55 million kilogrammes of the flue-cured crop worth almost $1 billion. In its weekly report on flue-cured tobacco sales, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) said US$88,3 million (about $968 million) worth of the crop had been sold so far. This is despite the shortage of packaging paper and fuel. The daily average price for tobacco ranges between USc160,83 to USc185,91. Of the total amount sold, 21,5 million kg was sold under contract farming fetching US$39 838 028 (Z$457 220 790 472). TIMB is hopeful that they would meet their target set of 100 million kg of tobacco before the season ends in October. Meanwhile, the country is expected to increase its earnings from the sale of burley tobacco as the prices of the crop have significantly increased. A target of 250 000 kg of burley tobacco has been set for the 2005/2006 farming season. The introduction of the private treaty system, where buyers compete to offer the highest price to farmers, will encourage farmers to grow more burley tobacco. Enditem