Two tobacco seed varieties that yield more than double the current average could be officially released as early as 2015, The Herald reported.

Positive results from varieties T71 and T72 were obtained in testing overseen by the Tobacco Research Board during the past two growing seasons , the newspaper said in a story citing information supplied by the government’s New Ziana news agency.
Yields of the two varieties were about 4.5 tonnes per hectare (2.5 acres). Most farmers obtain about 2 tonnes per hectare with existing varieties, according to the newspaper report. The seeds reportedly are resistant to more than nine varieties of tobacco diseases.
Both new seed varieties will be officially introduced in the 2015-16 growing season if accepted by farmers, according to the report. Zimbabwe primarily produces flue-cured Virginia tobacco, however the article did not specify whether the seeds were FCV.