Auction floors ready for 2014 tobacco selling season

Published: 28 January 2014

The three auction floors licensed to sell tobacco this year have almost completed preparations for the marketing season which starts on February 19.

The Tobacco Industry Marketing Board has licenced Boka Tobacco Auction Floors, Tobacco Sales Floor (TSF) and Premier Tobacco Floors to sell the crop this season.

TSF managing director James Mutambanesango told New Ziana that facilities had been relooked at in readiness to handle large volume of tobacco.

"We have also been going out to assess the crop in the fields and to get feedback on farmers' expectations this season. "In addition we have been able to host field days to ensure that we advise them of the prerequisite requirements before they can bring the crop for sale," he said.

Mutambanesango said TSF will this season unveil new products for farmers who brought tobacco for sale at the floors.

"We are availing hessian bags to farmers up front and recover the cost when they sell, considering that farmers will not be having cash at the moment.

"We have been talking to transporters and field coordinators so that tobacco is lifted from a place with known destination, registered and pre-booked before it leaves for Harare so that farmers do not have to spend days queuing before selling," he said.

He added that TSF will offer excellent service in fulfilment of farmers' expectations.

"Farmers are looking for a good service that is where they sell and get paid promptly but for them not to queue up they should be registered as tobacco growers, have submitted estimates and book in advance.

"All our facilities are ready but we are doing final touches so that we will not be found wanting on the first day," added Mutambanesango.

Last year, TSF handled about 26 million kilogrammes of tobacco. BTAF chief executive Rudo Boka also confirmed readiness of the largest floor to handle tobacco and its growers.

"We are prepared. Our facilities are existing they are the same. We wish the farmers all the best prices this season," he said.

Boka said a total of 26 million kg of tobacco passed through BTAF last year.

"We expect to handle more this season," she said.

At the close of the 2012/13 marketing season at least 166.5 million kg of tobacco was sold at an average price of $3.70 per kilogramme, earning the country $616.1 million. Tobacco is one of Zimbabwe's major agricultural exports, accounting for 10, 7 percent of GDP in 2012.

Major export destinations for Zimbabwean tobacco include China, UK, South Africa, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Mauritius and Russia. This year output is targeted at 170 million kg after many farmers turned to tobacco abandoning other cash crops which do not have attractive producer prices.

- New Ziana

Tags: Tobacco,