Recent rains have raised hopes that farmers will be able to meet or surpass Zimbabwe’s target of planting148,500 hectares of tobacco for the 2023-2024 growing season, reports The Herald.
Statistics released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) revealed that by Dec. 15, growers had planted 55,170 hectares of tobacco, 27 percent less than in the previous year. Zimbabwe has been suffered from drought at the start of the growing season.
The return of rains has sparked a planting frenzy, however, making it likely that the crop’s hectarages will increase significantly over the coming days.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association Chairman George Seremwe expressed confidence that the drop in planted area will be reversed.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Association CEO Rodney Ambrose said the recent rains have also boosted the already established crops that were starting to show signs of moisture stress.