Rains have lowered expectations for this year’s harvest of flue-cured Virginia to between 183 million and 194 million kilogrammes, well below the 222 million kg forecast by the government, according to data cited by the Zimbabwe Herald.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) Chief Executive Andrew Matibiri said less output could bring farmers’ better prices, as demand for flue-cured Virginia should be steady at around 230 million kg, the newspaper said. Last year growers produced 216 million kg.
In December the government put this year's crop at 222 million kg as one of the projections underpinning the current national budget. In addition to lowering expected production, rains prompted a delay in the start of marketing season from mid-February to 4 March.