The government in Zimbabwe has said that the hectarage of land planted under tobacco has risen by 4 per cent, reports NewsDay.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development ministry permanent secretary John Basera said that the hectarage at the beginning of the 2022/23 summer cropping season had risen from 112,000 to 117,000 compared to last year.
“Furthermore, income/revenue to farmers increased by 10 per cent from USD 589.6 million in 2020/21 to USD 650.3 million in the 2021/22 season,” said Basera.
Meanwhile, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) announced that the 2023 auction tobacco marketing season will be opening on 8 March 8, reports NewsDay.
“Sales at licensed auction floors will start at 9am. Contract tobacco sales will open on Thursday, 9 March,” the TIMB statement said.
Tobacco remains one of the country’s major foreign currency earners but relies heavily on rainfall and can be gravely affected by climate change.