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THE GOVERNMENT’S decision to review the tobacco seedlings destruction deadline from December 31 to January 15 next year will give farmers sufficient time to complete planting their crop buoyed by the rains being received across the country, stakeholders have observed.
This follows the Government’s recent issuance of a statement in which it gave tobacco growers up to January 15 instead of the stipulated December 31 deadline to clear their seedbeds following the late commencement of the season.
“As all tobacco growers are aware, the last day of destroying all seedbeds for this season is 31 December 2023, however, due to the late commencement of the season, many growers of rain-fed tobacco will not be able to transplant their seedlings by the stipulated date.
“Pursuant to the above, Government has in terms of Section 5(1) of the Plant Pests and Diseases (Tobacco) Regulations, 1979, made the following variation to the tobacco seedlings destruction date for 2023/24 season only. The last date of destroying all tobacco plants in seedbeds shall be 15 January 2024, in the case of plants of a type other than oriental,” read the statement.
The Government went on to urge all tobacco growers to adhere to all other legislated dates to prevent the carryover of diseases and pests as their contravention will attract a fine not exceeding US$100 per hectare or part thereof in respect of which the offence is committed or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment for the first offence.
“For a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding US$200 per hectare or part thereof in respect of which the offence is committed or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment,” continued the statement.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association (ZTGA) chairman Mr George Seremwe said farmers appreciated the Government’s acceding to their requests saying that would lead to an increase in the planted area.
“The rainfall season started just before Christmas for most tobacco areas and dryland farmers are busy planting, hoping to have finished planting by January 15. As the season seems to have shifted due to the dry spell, the combination of current rains and the deadline extension will enable the hectarage to increase thereby allowing the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) to adjust its projections on hectarage and yields upwards,” he said.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust (TFUT) president Mr Victor Mariranyika concurred, saying the extension of the deadline was a welcome development, which was in tandem with the shift of the season.
“This is a noble idea that will allow those seedlings in seedbeds that had survived the recent moisture stress from lack of water and excessive heat to resurrect after the current rains. We also call on the Government to extend the May 15 tobacco stalk destruction date to a later time,” he said.
He said farmers were still optimistic the Government would allow them to retain 100 percent of their earnings in foreign currency contrary to the reduction from 85 to 75 percent as pronounced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) recently.
Meanwhile, statistics availed in the TIMB weekly report 49 dated December 15 show that there was a 27 percent decline in total area planted from 75 411 hectares in 2022 against this year’s 55 170.
The wet spell being experienced in most areas in the country has brought a hive of activity on the fields, as farmers plant their crop to reach or overtake the set national target of 148 500 hectares. Herald
