Zimbabwe’s flue-cured crop under pressure

Tobacco growers have started to harvest Zimbabwe’s tobacco crop, which is expected to be smaller than that of last year, according to a story in The Herald.

The volume, though not yet officially estimated, is expected to be down because some growers have quit the crop or reduced their plantings in response to low prices in previous seasons.

Additionally, the irrigated crop, which is currently being harvested, has been affected by erratic power supplies, while the dry-land crop has suffered the effects of poor rainfall.

“The bulk of the irrigated crop is in good condition and some farmers have already started reaping and curing the crop,” said Agriculture, Mechanization and Irrigation Development deputy minister Davis Marapira.

“In some areas, farmers who had an irrigated crop complained of constant power cuts. The dry-land crop was affected by poor rains that started very late and we do not expect high volumes of tobacco this season.”

Meanwhile, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) said that as of December 25, 69,803 farmers had registered to grow tobacco in the 2015-16 season, down nearly 21 percent from the 87,852 who had registered by the same time last year, according to a Zimbabwe Chronicle story relayed by the TMA.