Tobacco season under threat
TAWANDA Chihwai hogged the limelight in December last year after his 25 hectare tobacco crop was hit by hailstorm.
e Mashonaland-East-based was left counting his losses.
Chihwai is now planning for next season as his entire crop was destroyed.
Chihwai’s experience mirrors the of the tobacco crop this year.
Climate change has caused extreme hot weather and severe hailstorms that are affecting this year’s tobacco crop.
e Meteorological Services Department has predicted normal-to-above normal rainfall with the rainy season envisaged to stretch up to March 2022.
e extremely hot weather experienced in the past month derailed the planting patterns.
Tobacco is one of the country’s major foreign currency earners together with gold and platinum. e crop provides a source of livelihood for the majority of rural farmers who are predominantly smallscale farmers.
Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe president George Seremwe said this season farmers expected lower yields than last year.
“ e rains have affected us a lot. Farmers are still planting as some areas have not yet received the first rains. It's a bit worrisome. Excessive heat has caused false ripening even on the irrigated crop,” Seremwe said.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Association chief executive officer Rodney Ambrose raised viability concerns saying farmers were reeling in debts, resulting in a 20% decline of registered tobacco growers.
“Viability remains unaddressed,” said.
“ ough US$ prices were up last season, the export retention of 60:40 and the managed exchange rate eroded all gains. Farmers’ debts increased, so did side marketing.
“Latest Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (Timb) statistics reflect a continued decline in growers engaging in tobacco, a staggering 20% reduction over the last season. Planting for the new season is still ongoing due to adverse weather in the last quarter of 2021.”
Ambrose said it was disappointing that the promised US$60 million local funding facility was yet to come through, sinking growers into debt.
“ is will further reduce the new foreign currency inflows from tobacco sales, now farmer state he the small-scale crop is in the fourth to fifth week with six to nine leaves. Farmers are busy applying top dressing fertiliser and weeding. For the medium-to-large scale farmers, they have started curing and topping and looking good if the rains continue,” Makombe said.
e tobacco representative board says it is optimistic of great output this season adding it will clamp down on side marketing this year.
“Our goal is to produce 250 million kg of tobacco in 2022,” Timb public affairs officer Chelesani Moyo said.
“We are also working towards rolling out a campaign drive, with our mantra being zero tolerance against side marketing by December 2022. In partnership with other key stakeholders, Timb is working towards introducing stiffer penalties on the current Statutory Instruments on side marketing in order to discourage side marketing and also to deter would-be offenders.”