Over 19 000ha tobacco planted

AT least 19 265 hectares of land have so far been put under tobacco during the 2018/19 summer cropping season, up from 18 396 hectares that had been planted during the same period last year, statistics released by the industry regulator show.

According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), of the total area planted, at least 16 276 hectares were planted under irrigation while the remainder is a rainfed crop.

Also according to TIMB, at least 166 039 farmers have so far registered to grow tobacco during the 2018/19 cropping season, a 66 percent rise from 100 237 growers recorded during the comparable period last year.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Zimbabwe produced 252,5 million kilogrammes of tobacco during the 2017/18 cropping season, a 34 percent increase from the previous season. ALL SHARE

The All Share index closed the week in green after gaining 1.16 points (0,73%) to close the week at 158.46 points. Natfoods led the movers with a $0,1900 gain to close at $7,2000, Delta added $0,0498 to $3,2988 and Padenga was $0,0407 higher at $0,9857. Econet also increased by $0,0284 to $1,5993 and African Sun traded $0,0060 firmer at $0,1000.

The gains were offset by losses in PPC which dropped $0,0871 to close at $1,6129, ZB Financial Holdings shed $0,0450 to end at $0,3500 and Meikles traded $0,0420 lower at $0,5101. First Capital Bank also decreased by $0,0071 to settle at $0,0600 and Bindura ended the week at $0,0702 dropping $0,0002.