Tobacco Farmers Eye Rich Pickings

ZIMBABWE'S tobacco farmers could make rich pickings when the auction floors open next week as the world's main competitors expect low yields owing to floods.

Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chief executive officer Dr Andrew Matibiri said Brazil and the United States had their crops swept away by floods.

He said the situation will create a deficit in the world market.

Dr Matibiri was giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Water, Lands and Resettlement chaired by

Chikomba Central MP Mr Moses Jiri (MDC-T).

Goromonzi North MP Cde Paddy Zhanda (Zanu-PF) had asked Dr Matibiri to speak on how Zimbabwe's tobacco would fare.

Dr Matibiri said Zimbabwe, Brazil and the US were the three countries producing flue-cured tobacco, and the floods that affected the other two countries leave Zimbabwean farmers with an advantage.

"It is estimated that Brazil's production will be down by about 150 million kg, while the American crop has also been affected by 50 million kilogrammes and these are Zimbabwe's two main competitors," said Dr Matibiri.

Avoid last season's chaos at tobacco auction floors

"This means Zimbabwe's tobacco is likely to be sold at a premium."

Dr Matibiri said last year China imported 120 million kg of tobacco, of which 40 million kg came from Zimbabwe, and it still wanted more of Harare's flue-cured tobacco.

Testifying before the same committee, TIMB chairperson Mrs Monica Chinamasa said selling tobacco will be hassle-free this marketing season following the licensing of four auction floors.

When last year's season opened, she said, only one floor - Tobacco Sales Floor - was operating thereby creating huge congestion.

"We have toured these four auction floors to assess their preparedness and had a checklist of critical areas and we were quite happy," Mrs Chinamasa said.

"Their banks were also there to say they are ready to pay farmers. It will take only two hours before farmers are paid once they deliver their crop."

Mrs Chinamasa said each auction floor will have a minimum of three banks on site.

Asked what they were doing to ensure that tobacco growers registered ahead of the marketing season, Mrs Chinamasa said that was a perennial challenge despite awareness campaigns being done.

She said 35 000 farmers had so far registered, compared to 66 000 that did so last year.

"You will still have a certain percentage of growers not registering, what can you do? You can't send them away, but assist them. But they will be delayed," said Ms Chinamasa.

Mhondoro-Ngezi MP Cde Bright Matonga (Zanu-PF) said during last year's sales, growers complained about corruption and favouritism, particularly by police officers controlling queues who allowed their superiors to jump the queues.

Mrs Chinamasa said such complaints arose because there was only one floor operating.

She said they were assessing applications by two more firms to open auction floors.