Story by Tendai MunengwaTOBACCO production continues to witness an upward trend, with the uptake of seedlings surging by 11 percent as compared to last year.A survey around the country’s tobacco greenbelts has revealed an interesting development as the farmers have started planting their irrigated crop.“Tobacco is fast becoming a crop likened by many, more farmers are joining, interestingly, us who do irrigated crop have planted earlier, hoping to do better than last year. We want to implore the regulatory board, Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board to do their assessment correctly because last year, this misrepresented the traders who budgeted for a smaller crop than what finally came out. This resulted in merchants buying tobacco at lower prices,” farmer Edson Makina said.“We are thankful to the stakeholders like contractors and banks, who keep supporting us.
They have enabled us to grow bigger every year, thereby increasing production levels,” Zishiri farm manager, Wellington Chatikobo noted.Stakeholders in the tobacco industry attributed the growth in tobacco production to a combination of factors chief among them high global demand and the use of certified local hybrid seed.“The hybrid tobacco seed produced by our own breeders for our own conditions and farmers who are using our seeds are doing well. We warn those farmers who are smuggling seed from Zambia that the long arm of the law will catch up with them,” Tobacco Research Board’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Frank Magama stated.“There is now a global demand for our tobacco and the rise of China as the biggest off-taker is a big contributor to the success of the tobacco industry. Not to be outdone are smallholder farmers, who have mastered the game of growing tobacco.
With the local banks coming on board, the country is bound for big turnaround,” Tobacco Industry Development Institute for Southern Africa’s Executive Director Jeffrey Takawira noted.According to a post-cabinet report presented by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere this Tuesday, production of the golden leaf is on an upward trajectory.“While tobacco recorded a 53 percent increase in the previous marketing season, the seedling uptake is up by 11 percent, already an indication that output can go up to 360 million kilogrammes, up from 354 million kgs. What is also interesting is that there is 60 percent increase in irrigated tobacco planted so far as compared to last year,” Dr Muswere said.Tobacco is a cash crop that has turned out to be a source of livelihood for thousands of families, with some farmers having become millionaires, thanks to the Land Reform Programme. TOBACCO production continues to witness an upward trend, with the uptake of seedlings surging by 11 percent as compared to last year.
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A survey around the country’s tobacco greenbelts has revealed an interesting development as the farmers have started planting their irrigated crop. “Tobacco is fast becoming a crop likened by many, more farmers are joining, interestingly, us who do irrigated crop have planted earlier, hoping to do better than last year. This resulted in merchants buying tobacco at lower prices,” farmer Edson Makina said.
“We are thankful to the stakeholders like contractors and banks, who keep supporting us. They have enabled us to grow bigger every year, thereby increasing production levels,” Zishiri farm manager, Wellington Chatikobo noted. Stakeholders in the tobacco industry attributed the growth in tobacco production to a combination of factors chief among them high global demand and the use of certified local hybrid seed.
“The hybrid tobacco seed produced by our own breeders for our own conditions and farmers who are using our seeds are doing well. We warn those farmers who are smuggling seed from Zambia that the long arm of the law will catch up with them,” Tobacco Research Board’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Frank Magama stated. “There is now a global demand for our tobacco and the rise of China as the biggest off-taker is a big contributor to the success of the tobacco industry.
With the local banks coming on board, the country is bound for big turnaround,” Tobacco Industry Development Institute for Southern Africa’s Executive Director Jeffrey Takawira noted. According to a post-cabinet report presented by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere this Tuesday, production of the golden leaf is on an upward trajectory. “While tobacco recorded a 53 percent increase in the previous marketing season, the seedling uptake is up by 11 percent, already an indication that output can go up to 360 million kilogrammes, up from 354 million kgs.
What is also interesting is that there is 60 percent increase in irrigated tobacco planted so far as compared to last year,” Dr Muswere said. Tobacco is a cash crop that has turned out to be a source of livelihood for thousands of families, with some farmers having become millionaires, thanks to the Land Reform Programme.
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