Elita Chikwati Senior Agriculture Reporter
TOBACCO deliveries to sales floors have surpassed the 230 million kilogrammes target set by Government for the 2018 marketing season.

The highest volume of tobacco Zimbabwe has produced was 236 million kilogrammes in 2000.

The surge in production of late has raised hopes that the country will soon surpass the record 236 million kilogrammes, earning Zimbabwe the much needed foreign currency.

Government has since announced it was putting tobacco farming under Command Agriculture, in a move that will boost production.

According to statistics released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) yesterday, farmers have so far sold 230, 4 million kilogrammes worth $672 million. This is an increase of 34 percent from the 172 million kilogrammes sold during the same period last year.

TIMB corporate communications manager Mr Isheunesu Moyo said: “During the peak period, deliveries averaged around seven million kilogrammes per day, but now we are getting an average of one million kilogrammes of tobacco per day.

“We have not yet come up with the dates for closing the tobacco marketing season. We have consulted with stakeholders and we will recommend the proposed dates for closing the marketing season to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement for approval. The minister will then announce the closing and mop-up sale dates,” he said.

Director for Tobacco Industry Development Support Institute for Southern Africa Mr Jeffrey Takawira yesterday said this year’s crop was good qualitatively and quantitatively.

“The land reform programme brought in opportunities for then marginalised farmers that could not access suitable land to grow the golden leaf. There has been marked improvement in this year’s crop largely because 85 percent of the tobacco crop is now under contract farming.

“We have also noted that Government, through the TIMB and Agribank, have a popular input and infrastructural support scheme and their intervention has been timely as the inputs are distributed well on time to avoid hurried preparations,” he said.

The increase in tobacco production has been attributed to high prices and an organised market, availability of funding through contractors and Government.

The introduction of foreign currency in payment for the crop has also incentivised farmers.

Tobacco has earned a strategic position in the economy because of its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product and foreign currency earnings.

In Zimbabwe, over three million people depend on the industry for their livelihoods.

The land reform programme embarked on by Government in year the 2000 has seen more indigenous farmers growing tobacco in a move that has economically empowered them.