More growers in Zimbabwe

The number of tobacco growers in Zimbabwe has increased by 15 percent to 81,301 this farming season, reports The Chronicle, quoting statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB).

During the same period last year 70,412 farmers had registered to grow the golden leaf.

The 2016-2017 farming season has so far recorded 14,283 new growers with a total of 91,805 hectares having been put under tobacco.

At present, 76,775 ha are under dry land tobacco while 15,030 are under irrigation.

During the same period last year, 87,755 ha were planted under tobacco.

The golden leaf is one of Zimbabwe’s major foreign currency earners and last year the crop generated about $933 million from 164.5 million kilograms that were exported to 65 countries around the world at an average price of $5.67 a kilogram.