Harare. – The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board is urging farmers throughout the country to attend training to reduce losses after their tobacco bales are rejected at auction floors  due to bad handling of the crop.

Statistics that the TIMB released last Friday shows that 110 922 bales of tobacco have been rejected so far at auction floors since the selling  season started in March this year with the numbers increasing daily  because farmers lack some fundamental skills of handling the crop.

TIMB spokesperson Isheunesu Moyo said bale rejection rate could be reduced by improvement in handling, grading and presentation.

“Farmers need to improve their skills in these (handling, grading and  presentation) through training that TIMB and the Tobacco Research Board  offer.

“We are conducting calendar based training to help farmers produce good quality crop as well as a good packaged product,” he said.

Moyo said farmers should keep rejected bales for re-handling as the tobacco can be re-packaged and resold at the auction floors.

“Rejected bales go for re-handling and are taken back to the floors and do not affect the number of bales sold nor total sales.

He also urges farmers to not to sell their tobacco if they did not agree with the price being offered especially when it was very low. – New Ziana.