Flue-cured deliveries pass estimate

Zimbabwe’s 2015-16 flue-cured deliveries have already exceeded the 170 million kg estimate for the season, according to a story in the Daily News relayed by the TMA.

The country’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) was reported as saying that farmers had so far sold 34 million kg of tobacco for US$148.5 million over the auction floors, and 148 million kg for US$ 448 million under the contract system.

No comparative figures of the 2014-15 season were given, which is likely to mean that farmer prices this season are still down on those of last season.

Although Zimbabwe’s growers were told last season that they could expect to earn higher prices for their tobacco if they improved its quality, while quality has gone up, prices have gone down.

Earlier this month it was reported that the average price paid for farmers’ leaf was down from US$2.95 per kg to US$ 2.94 per kg.

Agriculture experts were said to have predicted a 20 percent decline in output this year due to El Nino-induced drought conditions.

The 2016 output was expected to be lower than that of 2015 also because the area under production declined to 89,500 ha from 93,419 ha