Tobacco Facts.

ZIMBABWE should brace for an increased tobacco production after the enthusiasm shown by tobacco growers as they prepare for the next farming season, Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union has revealed.

ZCFU president, Mr Wilson Nyabonda said the introduction of the 100 percent hard currency payment had motivated many farmers as well enabling them to prepare for the next season with few hassles.

Mr Nyabonda said this time there was a marked difference in the preparations as a number of farmers were managing to procure inputs on their own, unlike in the past few seasons where some growers failed to finance their projects.

Seed sales so far, according to Mr Nyabonda were encouraging. “Tobacco seed that has been sold so far, is enough to cover between 14 and 15 000 hectares,” said Mr Nyabonda.

Tobacco Industry Marketing Board said a total of 146 470 grammes of seed had been sold by June 5. Last season, a total of 473 000 grammes of tobacco seed was sold by the beginning of September.

Last season seed sales were good although a number of growers failed to go transplant because of the shortage of other resources such as fertilizer, fuel and chemicals among other things.

“Fertilizer both compound C and compound S are in stock and farmers have the cash to procure the inputs. Fuel has been in limited stock but this has not affected land preparations because most commercial farmers had carried out the operation between February and March,” said Mr Nyabonda.

TIMB, chief executive, Dr Andrew Matibiri said most tobacco growers were concentrating on seed preparations and sowing while some were still preparing land.

“Others are also buying inputs while contractors are distributing inputs to those growers who would have finished payments of their debts,” said Dr Matibiri.

Mr Nyabonda encouraged tobacco growers to buy inputs as they sell their crop so that there will not be a situation where they fail to produce the following season.

However, some farmers especially small scale are still looking forward to assistance in terms of inputs because most of them had a smaller crop last season.

A total of 65 000ha are expected to be put under tobacco production for the 2009 season.
© Copyright: Allafrica

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