Zim’s tobacco farmers urged to produce quality crop

… As World tobacco prices decline

Takudzwa Chihambakwe
After dealing with poor prices in the 2018/19 tobacco selling season farmers who were looking to capitalize on the huge returns that the cash crop had been bringing in the past two seasons, could be forced to reduce hectarage of the crop.

The Zimbabwe Tobacco Association is urging farmers to reduce production as prices are expected to continue sliding into next year. The association’s spokesperson Casper Mlambo says farmers should focus more on quality rather than quantity.

Prices dwindled by USD$1 in the country and by USD30 cents per kilogram in the region this year.

World markets also show a decline in prices due to oversupply of the crop by growers.

Tobacco farming is a pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy and is the second biggest foreign currency earner after mining.