Farmers in the Karoi and Headlands area are pleased with the quality of their early planted tobacco, reports Zimbabwe Situation.  

Tobacco farmers are pleased to report that the crop planted so far is in good condition and a lot of small-scale farmers are in fact still planting as they rely on rainfall.
According to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, so far, tobacco farmers in Zimbabwe have planted 53,571 ha of tobacco, compared to 38,312 ha during the previous growing season, reports Zimbabwe Situation.
Of those, 18,614 ha were put under irrigated tobacco and 34,957 ha under dryland tobacco. The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) also increased the number of licensed tobacco contractors from 39 to 42. Tobacco continues to be one of Zimbabwe’s most important crops, earning USD 650 million during the past tobacco marketing season, up from USD 589 million the previous year.