Smaller crop predicted

Zimbabwe’s tobacco output is expected to decline to 200 million kilograms this year owing to unfavorable weather conditions under which the crop was grown, reports The Herald.

Last year, the country produced an all-time high of 252 million kilograms of tobacco.

The tobacco being sold this year was grown under poor weather conditions characterized by late rains and prolonged dry spells.

“It is hard to tell how much tobacco we are expecting. We do not even  want to guess. We are just praying that at least we get to 200 million  kilograms (of tobacco),” said Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chairperson Monica Chinamasa.