Idai destroys 190 tobacco barns

Over 190 tobacco curing barns were destroyed by Cyclone Idai in Makoni District ahead of the official opening of the tobacco marketing season yesterday.

Agritex head for Manicaland Mrs Phillipa Rwambiwa said 191 tobacco curing barns and 22 houses were destroyed in Makoni District’s 25 wards.

Mrs Rwambiwa said the destruction had resulted in huge losses.

She said farmers were now stranded as to how they will cure their crop once harvested as a result of the persistent rainfall.

“This has compromised the crop which is the country’s second largest export earner after gold.

“There is a huge loss to the market because of the compromised quality of the tobacco that was in these barns.

“Therefore, it affects the grade, mostly to the farmers who had bigger hectares which they cannot now process efficiently.

“Some farmers are now using their kitchens for storage, a move that is not healthy for the crops and the farmers as well,” she said.

Mrs Rwambiwa said Agritex would undertake an assessment to establish the extent of the damage.

Boka Auction Floors head of leaf and sales Mr Percy Chifamba bemoaned the destruction.

“It is a sad that these farmers are set to lose a lot of money from this tragedy.

“Yes, floors are to be opened this week and we are encouraging the farmers to find other means to cure there tobacco.

“We will see that they will be able to sell their crops and do not have to incur more costs extending further losses to them,” Mr Chifamba said.

Mr Chifamba said lessons could be drawn from the tragedy.

“We had a meeting with other partners in Mutare and only those who had insured their farm produce will be assisted. Their products will have a lower grade as compared to before the tragedy but they have to make sure they find ways to make ends meet to avoid total loss.

“We are encouraging farmers and anyone who wants to do farming as a business to insure their product with the various insurance companies across the country,” he said..

Meanwhile, traditional leaders in Manicaland have expressed concern over the high level of deforestation in the province caused by tobacco farmers who are using wood to fire their barns while curing their crop, writes Kudakwashe Chidziya.

The leaders fear that if the rate of deforestation is not curbed, it will have a negative impact on their areas.

Speaking at a tobacco field day in Burma Valley last week, Ward 7 village head Mr Henry Kaswa urged tobacco farmers to safeguard forests and use environment friendly energy sources.

“Look at this place, it was not like this before. It was full of trees and we used to herd cattle in this area when it was like a jungle, this dense area was scary. Now it is bare like this, indigenous trees are now scarce,” Mr Kaswa said.

Mr Kaswa said the Environmental Management Agency had over the past years initiated the use of alternative energy sources like coal which has not been taken up by farmers who claimed it was too expensive.