Zimbabwe’s historic land reform confounded its fiercest critics and detractors a few years ago as record tobacco crops were harvested and cured, but now Zimbabwe is about to reach the 300 million kg target a couple of years early with new record of 284 million kg already delivered and sold, and 85 percent of that crop comes from smallholder farmers of whom 60 percent are beneficiaries of land reform and have been making proper use of their new land holdings.
Zimbabwe is moving ahead on several fronts to ensure that land reform continues to be a resounding success by making sure farmers have the inputs and backing to push production to new heights, far higher than what was produced before a few thousand plantations were converted into many tens of thousands of small but viable family farms, insuring that production would not only continue but increase while at the same time hundreds of thousands of families could “go commercial” and start earning ever rising incomes from farming.
Agricultural transformation is on course with the Government introducing Pfumvudza, Command Agriculture, contract farming and corporate farming as ways to boost the agricultural and industrial revolution which saw Zimbabwe’s transformation taking less than 20 years after the introduction of accelerated land reform.
The country’s tobacco output in the ongoing marketing season currently stands at over 284million kg of tobacco compared to 190million kg sold in the same period last year, surpassing all previous records.
Last season the final count was 212 million kg, considered a very good crop but far below what is expected this season. If the proportions of the final crop delivered by this time are the same as last year Zimbabwe should make the 300 million kg 2025 target within a few weeks.
Large deliveries are still expected at the tobacco floors with yield potential projected to at least 300 million kg by the end of the marketing season.
Under the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Strategy, the country seeks to increase tobacco output to 300 million kg by 2025, enhance value addition and beneficiation to around 30 percent through the production of cigarettes for export and grow the industry to US$5 billion by 2025.
The decentralisation of tobacco farming to smallholder resettled and communal farmers has paid dividends with many having their lives transformed.
With the break up of the large plantations a belated complete overhaul of the tobacco industry was put in motion.
This saw the 2000 or so white commercial farmers who had dominated the industry replaced by tens of thousands of medium-scale and small-scale farmers and the merchants becoming the main finance source for the crop with around 95 percent of it grown under contract.
It has always been recognised that a small-scale grower is likely, assuming they have the skills especially for curing, to grow a higher quality crop than a plantation owner because tobacco benefits from the farmer paying carefully and frequent attention to each plant, impossible on a plantation.
This is one reason why the top prices for contract tobacco are higher than the top prices at the auctions, even though the auctions set the pricing formulas.
Tobacco has transformed large stretches of Mashonaland and Manicaland with a socio-economic boom. The old decaying towns in this belt are now fast growing centres keeping a lot of wealth in their districts after the decentralisation of tobacco marketing because of Covid-19.
The farming activity had also proved to be a source of income as well as creation of employment especially those who benefited from land reform when it was implemented as part of correcting colonial disparities.
A vast number of small holder farmers confessed how the practice changed their lives and their contributions in bolstering the economy ahead of the Vision 2030 target.
Many have sent their children to school, constructed decent houses, while some have acquired farming machinery such as tractors and other equipment, among a host of other achievements.
Tobacco is one of the lucrative crops raking in foreign currency for both the country and the farmer.
The crop has earned a strategic position in the economy because of its contribution to the gross domestic product and foreign currency earnings. It is now playing a critical role in ensuring that this wealth is spread, coming from a large number of growers.
Farmers who are into tobacco production have many testimonies regarding the crop saying it has the potential to transform everyone in the industry if good agronomic practices are implemented and Government’s inference to contract farmers themselves.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust vice president Mr Edward Dune said the Government should empower small holder farmers more so that they will not depend on contracting companies.
He also said TIMB as a regulator should also make sure that only genuine contractors who are reliable to the farmers are registered and allowed to do business.
“Transformation should not be theoretical. If Government continues to empower small holder farmers like in case of Pfumvudza, then farmers are assured of getting inputs on time.
“Unscrupulous middlemen should totally be eliminated to ensure that farmers get what they actually deserve.
“Tobacco has transformed the majority of people but there is a need to ensure that processing is done in the country to ensure that our farmers get more money,”he said.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust president Mr Victor Mariranyika said tobacco is the biggest foreign currency earning crop in agriculture which needs a practical action approach when growing it.
He added that contracting companies should provide enough inputs and on time to ensure that best results are achieved.
He said several small holder farmers’ lives have totally positively changed, adding that production costs should not rise to ensure that farmers get a profit.
“It is good for the farmers to benefit from what they grow. We are guaranteed a good harvest if farmers get their inputs on time at the same time production costs should not increase.
“We are sure that farmers can make more profits than they are acquiring at the moment, “he said.
Mrs Cynthia Mukoboto of Matepatepa said tobacco growing has totally transformed her life and standards of living, praising the Government for increasing foreign currency retention to 85 percent saying this showed that the Government is committed to improve ways of living to its farmers.
‘’I am grateful for the ruling Government because l managed to buy a lot of properties.
“I have a big house which l built using tobacco growing. I have a large herd of cattle and l can afford to send my children to school. This is greatly appreciated. We look for another good marketing season like this one,’’she said.
Mr Tonderai Kaseke of Chendambuya said from 5ha he managed to produce twenty bales adding that he is planning to increase hectarage in the next season.
‘’This season was a good season. We managed to produce more because of the good rainfall patterns. We believe this harvest can be achieved again in the next season. We are proud of our harvest,’’ he said.
Mrs Marjorie Makwiza of Banket said of all the crops, tobacco has positively transformed her life and her children.
“Since l started growing tobacco, everything almost changed. It was difficult to send my children to school or even to feed them but now l can testify that everything is now moving smoothly. I earn large amounts of money every year. So far there are no challenges I am facing. Every year l grow more than 20 bales.
“To me tobacco has transformed my life and next year l am planning to increase the hectarage because of 85 percent foreign currency retention which was introduced by the Government. This is a motivating initiative,” she said.
Mr Tawanda Marembo of Raffingora also mentioned that all his wealth emanated from growing tobacco.
“I started growing tobacco in 2018 but l can tell you that l bought a car, tractor and l built a nice house in Chinhoyi. Tobacco pays if good agronomic practices are implemented.
“This crop has transformed my life and l pledge to continue growing tobacco. Other crops are paying but tobacco has proved to be the biggest paying crop,” he said.
The organised marketing system and favourable prices have continued to attract new growers who will be expecting hefty earnings from tobacco.
Growers should have adequate knowledge and skills so they can produce tobacco that is competitive on the market.
Premier Tobacco Auction Floor executive director Mr Owen Murumbi said the volumes at the floor moved from 2,2 million kg to 7 million kg signifying a phenomenal growth adding that the quality of tobacco was good.
“There was oversupply of tobacco because prices went down to about 19 cents. The prices from auction have moved from $3,07 to $2,88 which is a downward trend of 19c.
“The prices on the contract have moved up from $3,03 to $3,05 that’s 2c growth. But generally the marketing season was good. We are currently still receiving tobacco from our farmers. For example, we can get around 300 bales per day,’’he said.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) public relations officer Mrs Chelesani Tsarwe described the marketing season as perfect. She said the marketing season is now coming to an end.
“Over 284 million kgs of tobacco have been sold this season, surpassing the set targets, meaning we had a good and very productive season. However, tobacco deliveries to the sales floors have gone down, meaning the 2023 tobacco marketing season is coming to an end. Consultations with stakeholders on dates to close the season are ongoing,’’she said.
Meanwhile, the next production season has started and farmers have been establishing seedbeds since 1 June.
Mrs Tsarwe urged farmers who still have standing tobacco stalks to destroy them and avoid carrying diseases and pests over to the next crop.
He also reminded all farmers that the earliest date for transplanting tobacco is 1 September, urging them to comply. This ensures that the fields are clear of last year’s remnants.
Zimbabwe produces six percent of the world’s tobacco and earns US$1,65 billion at most. Government has also set a target of increasing production to 300 million kg per year and transforming the tobacco sector into a US$5 billion industry by 2025 and an additional US$10 billion by 2030.
The country has enough tobacco seed to cater for the next eight years, which is encouraging for a nation that wants to increase production.
Source Zimbabwe Situation
