Zimbabwe selling season to delay

The opening of Zimbabwe’s 2016 tobacco selling season is likely to be delayed as most farmers are not ready for the market, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), reports The Herald.

The country’s tobacco auction floors normally open mid-February, but last year opened early March due to farmers’ ill-preparedness.

TIMB communications manager, Isheunesu Moyo, said most farmers were behind schedule because the season had started late.

Drought and pessimism about leaf prices has contributed to a decline of the area put under the crop from 93,419 hectares last season to 89,500 hectares this year.

According to the Zimbabwe Farmers Union weekly market guide, tobacco farmer registrations have also declined by 20 percent.