18 000 register to grow tobacco

THE number of farmers who have registered to grow tobacco in the 20182019 cropping season in Manicaland has risen by 71 percent, recent statistics from the regulator have shown.

According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), 18 656 growers had registered to grow the golden leaf as at March 15, up from 10 230 who had registered during the same period last year.

More than 7 000 communal farmers, 9 005 A1 farmers, 1 073 A2 farmers and 1 335 small-scale growers from the province have registered with TIMB.

Figures also show that the province experienced a annual 216 percent rise to 5 182 in new tobacco growers from the province.

Overall, the number of growers countrywide has jumped 45 percent to 122 520 this season from 84 221 a season earlier.

Of the total number of growers, at least 61 266 are communal farmers, while 46 055 are A1 farmers.

Approximately 8 044 of the registered growers are A2 farmers and 7 155 are small-scale commercial farmers.

It is believed that the favourable prices in the industry have driven communal farmers to take up tobacco farming.

In Mashonaland West, a total of 44 928 growers were registered, while 43 329 farmers have registered in Mashonaland Central.

Mashonaland East now has a total of 15 135 growers and Midlands has 356 growers.

This year’s rain-fed tobacco crop had suffered from moisture stress due to the dry spell registered between November last year and early January, but there has been significant improvement in the leaf size, curing quality and nutrient uptake by the crop thanks to the good rains received since mid-January.