Tobacco marketing season opens tomorrow

Zim Now Writer

The tobacco marketing season opens tomorrow with farmers having started delivering their crop in anticipation of the opening.

Deliveries for the larger contract crop, however, start on Thursday and farmers will get 85 percent of their money in foreign currency with the remainder being paid in Zimbabwe dollars.

This is an increase from last year, where farmers were paid 75 percent of their money in foreign currency.

Three companies have been licensed by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board to auction the crop this season, and these are: Tobacco Sales Floor, Boka Tobacco Floors, and Premier Tobacco Auction Floor.

Strict adherence to Covid-19 regulations at the floors is expected, as farmers were expected to be fully vaccinated with two doses, and a booster, to gain access to the floors.

Zimbabwe has about 160 000 farmers who grow tobacco, which is then exported to over 60 countries across the globe.

TIMB Public Affairs Officer Chelesani Tsarwe said everything is in place for the start of the 2023 tobacco marketing season.

“The board has put in place procedures for an orderly and profitable season where all stakeholders across the tobacco value chain are satisfied,” said Tsarwe.