Tobacco marketing season opens next month The country has so far earned $231,5 million in tobacco exports with Belgium emerging as the new major consumer

The country has so far earned $231,5 million in tobacco exports with Belgium emerging as the new major consumer

Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
THE 2015 tobacco marketing season is scheduled to open early next month with three auction floors expected to operate, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has said.This year’s selling season was delayed due to late rains and floods that adversely affected the tobacco crop. Due to bad weather, a significant number of farmers were forced to replant their crop late last year.

TIMB has since advised farmers and buyers that tobacco auction floors will open on March 4 while contract tobacco sales would open the following day.

“All stakeholders are advised that the 2015 auction tobacco marketing season opens on Wednesday 4th of March, 2015. Contract sales will open on Thursday 5th March 2015. Three auction floors namely Tobacco Sales Floor, Boka Tobacco Auction Floor and Premier Tobacco Auction Floor will operate,” said the marketing board.

Tobacco is Zimbabwe’s top foreign currency earner, accounting for close to 11 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

Last year, Zimbabwe earned more than $730 million from tobacco exports.

The country exports its flue-cured tobacco to different countries such as China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Russia and   Indonesia.

Since the adoption of a multiple-currency system and the liberalisation of the economy, the number of tobacco growers has been increasing rapidly with statistics showing that about 100,000 farmers have registered to grow the crop in the 2015 season.

In the 2015 national budget, the government projected a hectarage of 90,000 for tobacco, whose output was projected at 222 million kgs.
Communal farmers produce the bulk of tobacco leaf.

Total flue-cured tobacco output in 2014 amounted to 216 million kilogrammes compared to 165.85 million kilogrammes realised in 2013.

 

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