Zimbabwe: Tobacco Production to Decline

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) April 3, 2006 Bulawayo Bureau 04/04/2006

ZIMBABWE'S tobacco output, according to industry officials, will decline from 73 million kilogrammes last year to 50 million kilogrammes this year owing to an acute shortage of farming inputs experienced during the agricultural season. Mr Godfrey Buka, an official with the Tobacco Marketing Board, recently said tobacco production was estimated to drop to 50 million kilogrammes this year. He said despite the good rains experienced this farming season output was not expected to beat last year's figure of 73 million kgs. "The crop was affected by leaching because of too much rains. The late crop suffered from leaching because of the incessant rains," Mr Buka said. He said the shortage of essential inputs also affected the yield. "While tobacco production saw a 60 percent increase in 2005, this season the crop has not fared well because of input supply problems. Attainability of the projected output is largely dependent on the availability of inputs, he said. "Power cuts also affected the quality of the crop," added Mr Buka. He said the TIMB marketing season starts on April 25 while the contract sales commence on April 26. "There will be three auction floors namely the TIMB, ZITAC and Burley Marketing Zimbabwe, " he said. Enditem