Tobacco deliveries are set to exceed last season’s record breaking delivery of 252 million kilogrammes as deliveries continue at the auction and contract floors, The Herald reported.

Record volumes of 252 million kilogrammes were achieved in the 2018 marketing season. According to Tobacco Industry and Marketing board (TIMB) communications manager, Isheunesu Moyo, deliveries have continued and indications are that they could surpass last year’s volumes. “By day 102, farmers had delivered 251.3 million kilogrammes of tobacco worth USD 507 million. This is an increase from the 249.6 million kilogrammes worth USD 730 million that was delivered by growers during the same period last year. We are still receiving tobacco from the farmers and we except to surpass the 2018 volumes because the season is still on and farmers are still bringing their crop for sale,” he was quoted as saying.
In general, prices this year, at USD 2.02 per kg, are about 31 per cent lower than last year's USD 2.92 per kg, the report said. The 2018/2019 season was described by many farmers as difficult as late rainfall affected production and crop quality in some areas. Farmers also complained about falling prices this season compared to previous prices. The TIMB said that at the end of the season it would make assessments and recommendations to the responsible authorities to ensure that the challenges were met, according to the report.