mbulelo smpofu
Oliver Kazunga, Harare Bureau
THE Government has extended the deadline for destroying tobacco seedbeds from the 2024/25 summer cropping season to January 15.
In a statement, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), which regulates the tobacco industry, said Plant Pests and Diseases (Tobacco) Regulations, 1979, mandated that all tobacco seedbeds be destroyed by December 31 to break the life cycle of pests and diseases that can affect tobacco plants.
“However, due to a prolonged dry spell and delayed rains, farmers relying on rain-fed dryland tobacco could not transplant in time due to insufficient water resources.
“The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuka, has extended the deadline for destroying tobacco seedbeds to 15 January 2025,” said TIMB.
TIMB said the decision ensured farmers could preserve their investments and reap the benefits of their months of hard work.
Tobacco is Zimbabwe’s second largest foreign currency earner after gold and is primarily cultivated by smallholder farmers who were allocated land under the land reform programme Zimbabwe embarked on in 2000.
Despite the adverse impact of the El-Nino-induced drought experienced last year due to a poor rainfall pattern in the 2023/24 summer cropping season, the country produced 236 million kilogrammes of tobacco.
In 2022, smallholder farmers, who contribute 60 percent of the beneficiaries of the land reform programme, accounted for an estimated 80 percent of the record tobacco harvest of 294 million kg Zimbabwe.
Tobacco production involves sowing seeds and maintaining a seedbed for three months, land preparation and preparing ridges onto which they will transplant the seedlings.
“Therefore, destroying all tobacco plants in seedbeds means farmers cannot transplant anymore.
“The December rains brought relief and optimism for dryland tobacco growers, marking a turning point for the 2024/25 season,” said TIMB.
As of December 27, 2024, growers had transplanted 84 661 hectares, surpassing the 82 392ha recorded during the same period in 2023.
Additionally, a total of 126 092 growers have been registered, compared to 112 904 growers in 2023.
“These figures highlight the industry’s resilience and growth, with a national target of 300 million kilograms of tobacco set for the season.
“To ensure success, the focus for this season remains on adopting climate-smart agriculture practices that build resilience against erratic weather patterns.
“Tobacco growers are encouraged to control weeds to reduce competition for water, use potholes to capture rainfall and prevent runoff, and maintain proper ridges for efficient drainage.”
Meanwhile, TIMB said reaping of the early irrigated crop is underway with reports of promising leaf quality in areas where good agronomic practices have been followed.
“Maintaining high-quality tobacco is also paramount so growers are encouraged to stay on top of agronomy. With efforts to ensure fair competition to secure better prices for farmers, proper tobacco handling and storage are also critical to reducing post-harvest losses,” it said.
On January 13, TIMB will commence a crop assessment exercise to evaluate the status of the main dryland crop, including its growth stages and the progress of late dryland establishments.
TIMB said the exercise will provide a clearer picture of the season’s trajectory and inform targeted support for farmers.
Siphakeme .Mnindwa
