Herald Reporters

Farmers sold 92 106kg of flue-cured tobacco worth US$173 256 on the first day of the new marketing season on Wednesday, many times the 7 815 kg worth US$ 13 566 sold on the opening day of the last season.

Deliveries and sales of the far larger contracted crop started yesterday and some farmers with quality crops were getting as much as US$5/kg from their contractors.

Statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) show that a cumulative 1 274 bales were laid at the auction floors and 1 154 of the sold at an average price of US$1, 88 per kilogramme.

Of these bales 120 were rejected for different reasons that include mixed hands and mould. 

The prices have slightly firmed from last year’s average price of US$1,74 per kilogramme. 

Some farmers were complaining that they had been made to believe they would have their money deposited on the same day of the sale, but they were still to get their money from the first day sales by yesterday midday.

Mrs Loice Tivashe of Karoi said she was expecting higher prices that would enable her to go back to the land.

“My crop was sold at US$1, 80 while other bales fetched slightly below that. I expected US$3 per kilogramme,” she said. This will push us to contract as we will not be able to break even and get money to buy inputs for the next season,” she said.

Other farmers said the prices were fair, but said they were also expecting higher prices as those offered at the contract floors.

Premier Tobacco Floors general manager, Mr Owen Murambi said yesterday sales had continued smoothly at the auction floors and deliveries had slightly increased from the first day.

“We had 320 hales on the first day and today we laid 350. Farmers seem to be happy with the prices. We expect prices to continue improving as the season progresses,” he said.

Meanwhile, contract floors officially opened yesterday in Marondera, Rusape, Mvurwi, Karoi and Bindura.

The sales went on smoothly with some farmers getting prices above US$5 per kilogramme. In Marondera, Minister of State for Mashonaland East Province Senator Aplonia Munzverengwi officially opened the contract floors and urged merchants to offer fair prices that are viable.

 “Agriculture and other economic sectors like mining are the major contributors to the provincial Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We are the major producers of quality tobacco and we are proud to contribute to the national volumes,” she said.

Minister Munzverengwi applauded the decentralisation of floors which she said helped farmers have transport costs.

Voedsel contracting tobacco company managing director Tensen Hwandi said there were expecting 28 million kilogrammes of tobacco this season.

“This is our second time to contract farmers in Mashonaland East and we are expecting to receive 28 million kg of tobacco from contracted farmers,” he said.

One of the farmer Mrs Maria Mapako said decentralisation of floors had helped them to reduce the risk of losing their money to fraudsters and thieves.

In Bindura, contract floors opened smoothly with merchants offering a highest price of US$5,20 per kilogramme. Bindura Tobacco finance manager Mr Tatenda Tinarwo said they started with a full lay of bales.

“Farmers have delivered good grades and they are complying with Covid-19 regulations together with transporters,” he said.

“Farmers are receiving their payment upon conclusion of their sale and Nedbank has opened a branch at OK Zimbabwe. The bank is also serving farmers at the auction floor.”

More than 90 percent of the tobacco is being produced under contact farming.