Tobacco uptake declines by 28 percent
DEFICIENT rainfall so far this summer season has forced farmers without irrigation facilities to delay planting in many parts of Manicaland, leading to an 11 percent drop in the tobacco planted area compared to the same period last season.
Truant rains have been blamed for pegging back planting and simultaneously ignited strong fears that the province is edging closer to a drought-like situation.
Normally planting of tobacco and the staple maize should be concluded around mid-December for the crops to maximise on heat units.
However, there is still a fortnight-long window for planting short-duration crops.
With the rains playing truant, it is not only tobacco planting area that has been reduced, but also planting of maize, groundnut, sunflower, cotton, traditional grains, soya bean and oil seed among others.
Manicaland’s tobacco output is on the verge of decline, given a sharp decrease in registered growers and reduced planted area, amidst truant summer rains, when compared to the same period last season.
Statistics released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) on Tuesday showed that both the tobacco uptake and planted area have declined by 28 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
This season, 16 572 growers registered, compared to the 23 137 recorded during the same period last season, presenting a negative variance of 28 percent.
Nationally, 112 087 growers registered, compared to 144 434 growers registered during the same period last year.
About 94 percent of the registered growers are contracted.
In Manicaland, the majority of the growers are communal (7 386), A1 (7 179), small-scale commercial farmers 1 179 and 810 A2 farmers — giving a total of 16 572 growers.
Communal, A1 and small-scale commercial farmers, who account for the bulk of the tobacco output, lack irrigation capacity and rely on rain-fed farming. Only A2 have irrigation capacity. So far, 5 100 hectares have been planted under irrigation, while a paltry 1 361ha have so far been planted under dry land, giving a total planted area of 6 461ha.
Last season, the province had planted 5 167ha under irrigation and 2 067ha under dry land by this time.
Tobacco transplanting window opened on September 1, 2023.
The bulk of planting has been done in Makoni, Mutare and Mutasa.
Manicaland had set to put 27 000ha under tobacco, but it now remains to be seen if that target can be achieved.
Tobacco specialist with Agritex, Mr Lazarus Nzarayebani said both the irrigated and dry land crops need rains to boost growth.
“The late rains during planting season has forced growers without irrigation to delay planting. Delayed rains means delayed planting, which could translate to reduced quality and yield.
“In communal areas where it has already been planted, farmers are finding it hard to sustain it as there has been no rain so far and the seedlings are drying. The farmers have to use drums to irrigate standing crops, which is unsustainable. As a result, the dry land tobacco is struggling, and we hope it rains in time to resuscitate it. The irrigated crop is doing well, but still needs rain to boost growth,” he said.
Mr Nzarayebani added: “The target in terms of planted area may be achieved, but in terms of yield and quality it is impossible, and will eventually be compromised.”
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust president, Mr Victor Mariranyika, said this is a sad development because growers have already invested heavily in tobacco nurseries.
“Prices of fertilisers and fuel have gone up, and these factors will reduce the profit margin for tobacco growers. Most of the farmers are broke and cannot sponsor production, hence the decline in uptake this season. The forecast of El Nino has left some farmers unsure on the chance of a successful tobacco farming season, hence they dropped off as a precautionary measure,” he said.