Agriculture Reporter

Tobacco farmers from Mashonaland West Province have been urged to comply with legislation on the destruction of tobacco stalks to avoid the risk of transmission of diseases on tobacco to be planted in the upcoming season.

A contact within the Mashonaland West Province Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (Agritex) has expressed concern over non-compliance with the legislation on tobacco stalk destruction especially in Hurungwe district.

“Non compliance by tobacco in removing stalks has resulted in the spread of diseases, thereby threatening the lucrative tobacco industry. We are urging farmers to urgently destroy the stalks in adherence to the Plant Pests and Disease Act (Chapter 19:08).

“Stalks should be immediately destroyed after final harvest to reduce carryover of diseases and pests,” he said.

The contact singled out Hurungwe district which produces 75 percent of the tobacco in the Province, as the major culprit, where stalk destruction remains around 30 percent.

Statutory Instrument 711 of 1979 was put in place to curb the spread of tobacco pests by introducing tobacco free periods every year to break the pests’ life cycle.

According to the Statutory Instrument, all tobacco stalks in the fields should be destroyed before 15 May of every year.

Regarding preparation for the upcoming season, the contact informed that sowing of seedbeds for irrigated tobacco is in progress, and the germination of seedbeds is expected from week ending 25 June 2021.

As at 15 June 2021, a total of 25 425 753kg worth US$66 074 295 of tobacco was marketed in Mashonaland West Province at the Karoi decentralised floors. The highest price recorded was US$6.40 per kilogram, while the lowest price stood at US$0.10 per kilogram.