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Elita Chikwati, Harare Bureau
The area put under tobacco has increased from 95 160 hectares last season to 105 791 ha this season as farmers step up preparations for the 2017 selling season.

Experts are expecting a bigger tobacco crop this season depsite the rains that have affected some parts of the country.

Last season, famers sold 202 million kilogrammes of tobacco when there was an El Nino induced drought.

According the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board latest statistics, the bulk of the crop produced this season is under dryland as most tobacco farmers rely on rainfed agriculture.

The 2016/17 high rainfall has been described by experts as suitable for tobacco production although in some instances farmers have lost their crop to hail.

Out of the 105 791 ha put under flue cured tobacco only 16 245ha are irrigated while 89 550ha are under dryland.

Last season, 15 098 ha were put under irrigation while 80 062 ha were on dryland.

Some provinces registered an increase in the area planted to tobacco while others had a slight decline.

Farmers in Mashonaland West increased the hectarage put under tobacco from 34 755 ha last season to 38 458ha this season. Manicaland increased from 10 953ha last year to 19 346 ha this year.

Mashonaland Central had a slight decline of the area put under tobacco from 30 691 ha last year to 30 479ha this year while Masvingo declined from 71 ha to 53ha this year and Midlands from 573 to 228 ha this season.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president, Mr Wonder Chabikwa said some farmers reduce their area of hectarage while others switch from tobacco after failing to break even.

“Some farmers grow the crop because they will be attracted by high prices but consider their options when they have challenges. Some areas are not suitable for tobacco and farmers may either choose to reduce hectarage or switch to a better performing crop,” he said.

TIMB corporate communications manager, Mr Isheunesu Moyo said preparations for the opening of the selling season were advanced.

He said TIMB had carried out crop assessment to determine the state of preparedness of farmers and also come up with an estimate of the crop. “Tobacco registrations have this year increased by 16 percent from 70 430 growers who had registered last year to 81 461 who have registered to sell their crop this season.”