(HERALD) Farmers start harvesting irrigated tobacco

Farmers start harvesting irrigated tobacco
Friday, 23 December 2011 00:00

Some farmers with irrigated tobacco have started harvesting and curing their crop at a time when those on rain fed farms are still planting. About 22 000 hectares have been put under tobacco this year out of a target of 70 000 with planting still underway.

At least 11 000 hectares of the planted area is under irrigation compared to 13 000 hectares last year. More than 65 000 farmers registered to grow the crop in the 2011/12 cropping season compared to 52 000 the previous year.

Traditionally, tobacco planting officially ends on December 31.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union vice president Ms Mayideyi Maswi said the late onset of rains had delayed the maturity of the crop.

"Tobacco farmers in traditional growing areas with irrigated crop have started harvesting and curing the golden leaf for the past three weeks," she said.

"These areas include some parts in the Mashonaland East, Central and West provinces," she said.

Zimbabwe expects to produce about 150 million kg of the golden leaf next year, 12 percent higher than 132 million kg produced in the past year. Ms Maswi said that while some farmers were already harvesting their crop, others were still planting.
"It's mixed fortunes, some farmers are harvesting while others are planting or one farmer is doing both," Ms Maswi said.

Zimbabwe Farmers' Union director Mr Paul Zakariya confirmed that irrigated crop had done very well and some farmers were already harvesting.

"The irrigated crop shows a success story mainly due to experience gained by the farmers now," he said.

Mr Zakariya said the liquidity crunch being experienced in the country was likely to affect production, as many farmers did not have adequate labour due to lack of funds.

China is the biggest buyer of Zimbabwean tobacco including cigarettes, importing a total of 33,8 million kg worth US$245 million while the United Arab Emirates and South Africa were the second largest taking 12, 5 million and 12, 7 million kg respectively.

- New Ziana.