Producing clean leaf for market

Buhle Nkomo

The price a farmer attains at the selling floors is determined among other factors by the seed one sows hence farmers are urged to use certified seed as maintenance of genetic purity in seed is the primary objective of seed certification.

 This suggest that the all seed contained in a seed lot is homogeneous and contains no seed of another variety or type.

 The certification process provides strict standards for seed production that seed producers follow.
These standards include for example, the producer’s registration for multiplying and selling tobacco seed according to local regulations as well as field and packing facility inspections.

In addition, every lot produced must pass a laboratory test.

 Consequently, it is important that farmers purchase certified seeds as non-certified seeds may lead to poor yield as they can carry certain diseases that can be seed-borne and this may cause the leaf to be infected.

 Not every tobacco seed variety does in every part of the country therefore tobacco farmers are encouraged to consult AGRITEX, Tobacco Research Board (TRB) or TIMB and tobacco contracting merchants in case of contracted growers for most suitable varieties for their areas.

 It is worth noting that variety selection is the foundation for achieving the market desired tobacco leaf quality, subjective characteristics as well as for optimizing farmer yield.

 Tobacco producers need to meet the requirements of the buyers which are physical and chemical integrity, if their efforts are to translate to profits.

Physical integrity is achieved by delivering to the market a product that is free from non-tobacco related material (NTRM) such as grasses, feathers, plastic, and string amongst other materials while chemical integrity of the leaf has more to do with reduction in pesticide residues, correct concentrations of nicotine, minimizing tobacco-specific nitrosamines.  

There is constant monitoring by tobacco buyers, TIMB and customers to ensure the integrity of the product.

To achieve the required integrity, it is of utmost importance that farmers adopt some of the following agronomic measures throughout the season.

 Tobacco, like any crop, needs to be protected from pests and diseases and a variety of techniques are promoted to prevent or suppress crop pests and disease that gives priority to the use of physical, mechanical, cultural, and biological control methods, and the least possible use of agrochemicals.

These methods include use of resistant varieties, crop rotation, use of attractant or repellent plants, and destruction of crop residues.

 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the best practice to use as it emphasizes also a biological approach by sequencing preventive and control measures that impose the least environmental impact.

These programs are based on identifying pests and diseases and beneficial organisms or cultural techniques adapted to local conditions and establishing economic threshold levels to determine what treatments are necessary to reduce risk of financial loss.

Farmers are expected to apply Crop Protection Agents (CPA)/chemicals as a last resort and only as a result of monitoring and scouting when the corresponding economic threshold levels have been reached.
Monitoring and scouting must be done on all tobacco farms.

 Monitoring and scouting involves recording pest and beneficial insect numbers across the tobacco field for a reliable estimation of the potential economic impact of damage from the pests.

 Recording pest and beneficial insects’ numbers in the field can also help define the appropriate non-chemical control methodology if required.

 If chemicals or CPAs are being used, it is advised to only use products that have been approved by Tobacco Research Board (TRB) and gazetted by TIMB.

When using chemicals, farmers should follow the correct timing and dosage recommendations which are always indicated on the product label, warning label and instruction manuals.

 Farmers should shy away from purchasing chemical products that have not been approved by and bearing a TRB registration number.

 When in doubt, farmers are advised to consult TRB, TIMB or AGRITEX.

As rule of the thumb, growers are encouraged to rotate crops as it is essential to break pest and disease cycles and to maintain or improve fertility.

 Farmers are encouraged to destroy seedbeds after transplanting as the tobacco plant Pests and Disease Act (Chapter 19:08) stipulates that all seedbeds should be destroyed by 31 December of every year and field crop residues after harvest.

 Destroying seedbeds and crop residues which are, stalks and roots, must be undertaken in a timely manner after the production cycle has ended to limit the potential for pest and disease transmission.

 It is important to control weeds proliferation until the end of the harvest as doing this assures greater productivity, better quality as well as reducing foreign material.

Contrary to some farmers’ thinking that some section of the production process matter more than others, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board urges farmers to give equal weight to all processes from selection of seed variety, buying certified seeds right through to marketing and presentation as they all have a bearing on profit margins.

                                           For additional Information contact
TIMB on telephone numbers 08677004624/6 or 0772145166/9 or 0279-22082/21982 or 025-3439 or 067-24268/29246 or 0277-2700 or 064-7280 or 0271-6772 or Toll Free Numbers 08006003 / 0731999999 / 0712832804 or E-mail: info@timb.co.zw