Agriculture Reporter
In a transformative shift within Zimbabwe's agricultural landscape, smallholder farmers, most of whom are beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme, now contribute over 85 percent of the country’s tobacco production.
This milestone was highlighted yesterday by the Minister of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Jenfan Muswere, during a post-Cabinet media briefing, underscoring the success and expansive growth in the tobacco sector since the start of the land reform programme.
Minister Muswere revealed a staggering increase in tobacco growers, attributing over 85 percent of the crop to the efforts of smallholder farmers.
“The number of growers has increased 17-fold since the commencement of the Land Reform Programme, with over 85 percent of the tobacco currently being grown by the smallholder sector,” Minister Muswere stated, showcasing the programme's impact on empowering local farmers.
Further accentuating the advances made, Minister Muswere pointed to the enhanced agronomic support, policy environment, and Governmental advisories as key factors in this success.
“The average yield has also increased since farmers have gained experience and are enjoying better agronomic support by merchants, a conducive policy environment, and the advisory role played by the government,” he elaborated.
The financial benefits for farmers have been significant as well, with an 80 percent increase in the average price paid to farmers from 2000 to 2020, indicating an improvement in tobacco quality and farmer expertise.
The 2024 season shows promising early signs, with auction floor prices already surpassing those of contract sales, a trend that reflects the high-quality tobacco produced in the country.
“The average price this year is 18.19 percent firmer than last year. The average price at the auction floor is currently higher than that at contract sales, even as these are still early days,” Muswere added.
The Minister also highlighted the potential for further economic growth through value addition and the construction of additional cigarette manufacturing plants, aiming to significantly boost the country's production capacity.
Meanwhile, in a strategic move to alleviate the logistical challenges faced by tobacco farmers, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has licenced six contract floors—namely Voedsel International Tobacco, Munakiri, AtlasAgri, Bindura, SubSahara, and Leafyard—to operate tobacco selling points in Rusape.
This initiative is part of TIMB's broader effort to decentralise tobacco markets, extending its reach to various key areas, including Mvurwi and Mutorashanga.
The aim is to reduce the burden on farmers by eliminating the need for them to travel long distances to Harare to sell their crops, thus supporting the economic efficiency and sustainability of tobacco farming across Zimbabwe.
