'It all began as a leap of faith'

Buhle Nkomo

“Farming has made me a provider to my family and a business woman in the community. Tobacco is where the money is,” said Tapuwa Goto (27), a tobacco grower from Mt Darwin in Mashonaland Central province.
Goto’s mother died soon after her 21st birthday following a short illness.

“At such a tender, I became responsible for my young sister’s upkeep since our mother was a single parent.

“It was a painful experience. I took over charge of my mother’s fields in a bid to fend for ourselves despite not having adequate knowledge on farming. It was a leap of faith. Our circumstances had changed my dream, I could not continue with studies,” she said.

She said her mother occasionally encouraged them to participate in the fields and also imparted good agronomic practices to her and her sibling.

“If I had known better, I would have learnt more. “

“Tobacco has sustained us thus far. I have been able to send my sister through good schools”

“The profits from tobacco farming has enabled me to venture into horticulture farming, something which is giving me extra income.

“I bought a truck that I use to ferry produce to Harare among other farm operations. I also installed a borehole for horticulture purposes.”  She said with a smile.

Goto said she has been gaining experience over the years and her farming has become a tool of emancipation from poverty.

“I have seen changes from the first season I started farming on my own. I have leant from my mistakes over different seasons. From the four hectares I am able to fend for my sister and I. When my mother passed on, I never imagined one day I would own a truck and able to adequately fend for myself.

She added: “I have also seen changes in terms of my produce as my highest prices over the years used to be less than five dollars but this season I got $5.10 and I see this as an improvement that is worth to be celebrated.

“With tobacco you have to keep learning as well as desist from taking short cuts. As it is, I have bought all of my fertilizers because I to avert a scenario where we want fertilizers and it is not available on the market. Planning is a critical success factor in farming.”

She said tobacco farmers should also have good curing facilities and adequate sources of fuel so that it does not compromise on the yield as a lot of farmers make mistakes in this area resulting in them getting poor quality and poor prices.

“Last season I was affected by leaf spot. I suspect that it was caused by not being thorough when destroying my stalks. This season I destroyed stalks early and made sure there are no re-growths,” she added.
“I want my sister to go university and study agriculture. Zimbabwe is an agriculture based economy and my sister needs to be where it is happening.        

“I sincerely desire to see more females growing tobacco. I am a member of a club where we support each other financially and share farming ideas. We collect money from members and send one of us to buy inputs in Harare. It cuts on transport costs. It also saves on time as women we are generally burdened with domestic chores. Other women can form similar clubs. “

A truck delivering tobacco bales to Premier Auction floor.

This season farmers have so far benefitted over $450 million from the sale of 156 million kilograms of flue cured Virginia tobacco at an average price of $2, 91. Preparation for the 2018 season have also started with registration of farmers being underway.

Tobacco seed that has been sold so far covers 77 000 hectares which is double what had been sold by the same time last year. Establishment of seedbeds commenced on the first of June.
Tobacco farmers are reminded that stalks and re-growths should have been destroyed by the 15^th of May and it is a crime for stalks to be found in one’s field as they are hosts for diseases that compromise quality and yield in the forthcoming season.

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

More women registered tobacco farmers

Buhle Nkomo

There is a 57 percent increase in the number of women who sold tobacco this marketing season as compared to the 2016 tobacco marketing season.

At least  11 000 women sold their tobacco this season compared to 7 000 last season.

Ephiphania Chigora (25) a female tobacco grower from Zvimba in Mashonaland West Province said she ventured into tobacco production after she saw how lucrative it had been for her late father-in law.

“My father in-law was a hard working tobacco grower. He inspired me to start growing the crop. I started small and stayed on course. Keeping on track requires a lot of resilience.

“I started off with half a hectare since it was an experiment. Like many experimentations, it did not come out as we would have wanted, nonetheless we drew important lessons from the experience.

With an appetite for growth , Chigora used her experience  in the previous season to improve her farming. 

I tried a hectare. We were encouraged by the prices we attained at the selling floors.

“This is my fifth season and I am proud to say I have managed to buy a Massey Ferguson MF 390 tractor and a car from tobacco production.

“The tractor has become another source of income as it gets hired by neighbors who do not have enough equipment for ploughing.

“From the few years that I have been a tobacco grower, I can confidently say tobacco farming is profitable.

“I have never been formally employed and farming has contributed immensely to the well-being of my family. I have also invested proceeds from tobacco sells in livestock production.

“This season I planted two hectares of tobacco and I am expecting about 9500 kilograms of good quality tobacco.

Chigora expressed concerns over climate change and the associated changing weather patterns as one of the major challenges she is currently seized with faced in her farming venture.

“This season we experienced heavy rains which ended up compromising on the quantity of our crop whilst last season the rains delayed. This means that heavy rains and drought are largely affecting our production.

To avert the challenges associated with poor rainfall, I purchased and installed an irrigation kit to help sustain the tobacco production project.

“I am less and less relying on the rains and am increasing on the irrigated crop.

Another challenge I am seized with is we usually buy coal from Harare, which is quite far. I wish the coal supplies were readily available in small towns and at and growth points

In 2016, 27 percent of registered tobacco farmers were females.

Chigora urged other women to take the leap of faith and try their hand in tobacco production as they can always bank on calendar based TIMB workshops conducted in conjunction with AGRITEX for good agronomic practices as well as TRB trainings held at Kutsaga Research Station.

She said that the knowledge acquired has contributed so much to her good returns and has led to her personal growth as a farmer.

After 45 days of the 2017 tobacco marketing season, farmers had benefitted $370 million dollars compared after the sale of 130million kgs.

The average price on the auction is $2.87, two cents higher than the contract sales average price.

Bale rejection is also three percent lower than after the same period last season.

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 WhatsApp 0731999999 or E-mail: info@timb.co.zw

Farming was the answer

Buhle Nkomo

“Life in the diaspora was not rosy as I played cat and mouse with the police when my documents expired”, said Albert Musasa (35), a tobacco grower based in Marondera.

“I lived from hand to mouth. There was no have job security.  Life was simply unbearable. This experience was a wakeup call to head back home.

“I was raised in a tobacco growing family. My father and all my kinsmen are tobacco farmers save for my brother who is into horticulture.

“I thought to myself, I have experience in agriculture having worked for an agriculture company before and have many friends who are agronomists and extension officers.

“I decided to come back home and become a farmer. Farming was the answer to my woes. I started off with a hectare. Four years later I am now growing six hectares of tobacco.

“I have passion for the crop and have also gained immense knowledge on tobacco production. In short I can say I love growing tobacco.

“The returns have been good. I have invested in a chicken project, bought a Fiat tractor, Isuzu KB 280 and a Toyota Hiace. I have ascended from being an employee to an employer”, he said with a chuckle.

“I work hard and that is the reason I obtain good prices”, he added more seriously.

“I grew KRK26 which yielded more than 4 000 kgs per hectare . My highest price was $4.99 and my average was $3.00 per kg. For the first time my scrap fetched $2.00 per kg.

“To be a successful tobacco farmer, you need to plan and prepare for the season. I have done my land preparation and have applied requisite chemicals.

“I have made my ridges so that I can trap the moisture that is within the soil. After ridging I will apply fertilizer.

“We plant 15 000 tobacco plants per hectare. Of the 90 000 plants on my six hectare plot, I know each and every plant. If there is a plant with shrugging leaves I am able to intervene with an appropriate solution. Tobacco is not for cell phone farmers. One ought to be on the ground. One other thing is, tobacco does not want short cuts.

“Of concern are tobacco farmers who are still to destroy their stalks from last season as this will encourage carryover of pests and diseases.

“I have discovered a market for stalks as they are used in preparing horse feed.

Farm workers harvesting tobacco

“Tobacco farming is not all a bed of roses. Last season I had a faulty barn which resulted in some loses. I am now working on the construction of rocket barns to avoid unnecessary hassles come the 2017/2018 season.

“I urge other tobacco farmers to invest in the establishing of gum tree woodlots as a way of curbing deforestation and protecting the environment.

“I rely on gum trees off-cuts that I buy from Hunyani for curing. I realized the need to produce tobacco in a sustainable manner hence I established a woodlot a year ago. Gum trees are easy to grow as they mainly need treatment during their seedbeds stage and thereafter they only need fertilizer and water.

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 WhatsApp 0731999999 or E-mail: info@timb.co.zw

Tobacco Impact on lives

Buhle Nkomo

"I am planning on buying a stand in Marondera to build my dream house and will definitely import a vehicle to ferry my farming inputs and produce this year."

These are Kelvin Foya's plans ,which the 34-year-old  tobacco grower  from Magunje said after receiving his sales sheet.

Foya realized $30 000 after selling 155 bales This is three times what he realized last season.

"Tobacco farming is the way to go. I am happy that my hard work is paying off. Whilst the prices are better this season, the quality of my crop has also improved " said Foya.

The bales which had a total mass of 10 163 kilograms ranged from $1.25 per kilogram up to $4.99, with $3.12 as the average. 

 "I cultivated four hectares of dry land and have so far delivered three quarters of the crop which means that I still have tobacco to sell and more income to expect. 

"Out of four years of my farming experience, I declare this season as a bumper harvest."

The tobacco grower credited his good returns to his physical presence at the farm, strict supervision of his crop throughout the year as well as adhering to good agronomic practices in the guidelines handbook produced by the Tobacco Research Board (TRB).

"When the season started, I took a stance of working hard on my farm and making sure that required farming inputs are applied to the crop.

"It was a challenging season characterized by heavy rains which led to a lot of leaching of nutrients such as nitrogen and I had to buy more than 45 bags of Calcium nitrate fertilizer to replenish the lost nutrients.

"The leaching of nutrients caused the yellowing of the crop leaves but after the application of calcium nitrate fertilizer, the leaves got firm and the color for my crops came out as anticipated.

"The heavy rains also encouraged the growth of weeds which meant that I invested a lot of money not only on fertilizers but on herbicides.

"I did my land disking early, soon after last season’s rains. Consequently my labor costs increased as a result because I had initially ridged so as to conserve water I had to destroy the ridges in a bid drain excess water as well as to manage the weeds" Foya said.

Foya urged farmers to take note of the tobacco seed varieties when preparing for their growing season as they contribute to the quality and final yield of the crop.

"Throughout my farming experience I have learned that variety KRK26 is the best for my area as well as my region. Farmers should take into consideration that varieties perform in accordance to regions. Growers need advice on the best variety for their area," he said

Kelvin Foya practices crop rotation and rotates his tobacco with maize and soya beans in an effort to replenish lost nutrients and increase productivity on the farm. 

Soya beans and maize are food crops that people on the farm feed on. He generates an extra income from their sell to augment his tobacco production. 

Apart from farming, Foya is also a builder who does his projects in his neighborhood and sometimes in Harare when the opportunity presents itself. 

Foya urged tobacco farmers to use their own grower’s numbers so as to benefit from the export incentive. 

For one to register as a tobacco grower, they simply need a copy of their national identification document, proof of land ownership, letter from their local AGRITEX officer and $10 registration fee.

As the marketing season progresses farmers are reminded that registration for the 2018 tobacco marketing season is underway and all growers should register before the 31^st of October 2017 to avoid paying penalties. This information is needed for planning purposes.

Registrations and renewal can be done at TIMB offices located at each and every selling floor as well as TIMB offices.

TIMB is also conducting mobile registrations in the different farming areas where farmers can pay their growers’ registration fees using Point of Sale (POS) machines, accordingly tobacco growers are encouraged to contact TIMB regional offices for dates when mobile registration will be conducted near them. 

Renewal of growers can also be done using Ecocash and the TIMB Biller code which is 41986. 

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 WhatsApp 0731999999 or E-mail: info@timb.co.zw

Adhering to Tobacco Legislation

Buhle Nkomo

All tobacco growers are urged to destroy tobacco stalks on or before the 15^th of May in adherence to the Plant Pests and Diseases Act [Chapter 19:08].

Stalks act as a host for diseases and pests like nematodes and spider mites hence destroying them starves the pests.

Early and complete destruction of tobacco stalks is effective in reducing carryover of diseases and pests.

Destruction of tobacco stalks can be carried out by first cutting the stems then ploughing or disking on the field as a way of pulling out roots out of the soil completely.

After two weeks of the first operation, re-disking can be considered and one can plant a cover crop when root systems have dried out for rotation purposes as well as destruction of pests.

Consequently, in a bid to ensure that there is no carryover of diseases, seedbeds are not to be established before stalks are destroyed.

If tobacco stalks are not destroyed, associated diseases and pests will affect yield, quality as well as increase the farmers input cost.

 Tobacco growers who fail to destroy tobacco stalks on or before the 15^th of May should be reported to the Department of Research and Specialist Services’ Plant Quarantine Services Institute (PQSI), AGRITEX, Tobacco Research Board (TRB) or Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB).

Reports can be made to all PQSI offices or at TIMB regional offices located in Bindura, Mvurwi, Chinhoyi, Karoi, Marondera and Rusape.

Growers should also take note of the following legislative dates:

Earliest date for sowing seed                          -           1 June

Earliest date for transplanting                         -           1 September

Last day of destroying all seedbeds               -           31 December

Contravening the regulations requiring the destruction of tobacco plants or establishing seedbeds or transplanting tobacco outside the aforementioned stipulated dates, will result in a grower being subjected to the following penalties:

a)      For a first offence, a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars for each hectare or part thereof in respect of which the offence is committed or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or both fine and imprisonment.

b)      For a second or subsequent conviction, a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars for each hectare or part thereof in respect of which the offence is committed or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or both such fine and imprisonment.

As tobacco growers continue to bring their produce to the market where farmers have so far been paid over $260 million dollars, they are urged to consider their crop for forthcoming season through adhering to the aforementioned legislative dates for the destruction of tobacco stalks, establishing seedbeds, transplanting as well as ensuring that they do not lose out this season through nesting mischief.

200 cases of nesting have so far been recorded this season, offenders were made to pay fines at police stations and the nested bales were forfeited.

Out of the 1,296,824 bales laid this season at both contract and auction floors, 252 bales were forfeited for nesting.

Nesting is concealing trash or inferior tobacco underneath good quality tobacco.

In conclusion farmers are encouraged to adhere to legislative dates for tobacco production since they are there for a reason as well as exercise diligence when baling their tobacco so as a to avoid unnecessary inconveniences associated with nesting.


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 WhatsApp 0731999999 or E-mail: info@timb.co.zw

Tobacco production takes passion

Yvonne Mutava

With the two children at tertiary education level , a 57-year-old Tamari Kasiya is determined to see them live their dreams.

Kasiya is a tobacco farmer and supplements her agricultural activities through cross boarder trading.

"My aim is to see my children become self-sustaining and comfortable and like most parents I have to sacrifice and forgo some luxuries" said Kasiya. "When I am not in the tobacco fields , I travel  to Mozambique where I buy goods which I use to pay people who help me in the fields."

She adds: It does not take time for me to harvest my crop as many people come to help me and in return I give them goods I buy from Mozambique."

Kasiya used to work with her children but now some have their own families.

"The last two are at the University of Zimbabwe and Midlands State University pursuing their studies. This means that even if I want to retire from working in the fields , it is not possible as those two are still my responsibility"

Kasiya who has been farming other crops for a long time , decided to venture  into tobacco farming  four years ago.

" With a lot of responsibilities on my shoulders I decided  to look  for something with good returns  and for me tobacco was the best way to go" she explained.

Without any agricultural  qualification , Kasiya seeks advice from Agricultural and Technical Extension officers and this has helped her reach her targets.

"I did not have any certificate but for the  first time I went to Agritex  and that is where  I got the tips  I am still today" said Kasiya.

"Four years experience ' taught me that tobacco growing is not as complicated as many want to assume. What makes the difference is the individual attitude  of farmers , the passion. Do you take short cuts? Do you closely monitor  your crop?

"Time management is important as missing a single stage in the crop's development compromises yield and quality" she said.

A group of women  at work  in a tobacco field.

Land preparation, nursing and fertilizer application is the correct medicine to good yield if they are practiced on time.

Besides catering for her children in school, Kasiya has bought herself a Nissan Serena from her first produce.

"My lowest price is usually around $4,65 per kg. I only grow an area that I can manage. I closely monitor my crop. My focus is on quality and not quantity."

Kasiya urged other tobacco growers to attend training programs and seek advice  from their community agronomists so as to share their experiences.

After 30 days of the 2017 marketing season, farmers have realized $218 million up from $172 million last season.

There is a 28  percent increase in the tobacco deliveries this season with farmers  delivering 79 million kg compared to 61 million kg during the same period last year.

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 WhatsApp 0731999999 or E-mail: info@timb.co.zw

Vendors benefit from tobacco farmers

Yvonne Mutava
  
The tobacco marketing season is characterized by a lot of activities outside the selling of the golden leaf.

Most of the activities are beneficial to the economy whilst others are illicit. 

As a result, it is not only tobacco farmers who look forward to the season as informal traders also make a windfall during this time through selling food and other wares required by tobacco growers.

A food vendor, Doreen Muteremuka (27) said during the marketing season she experiences brisk business at the auction floors compared to off season when she sells sadza in Harare,s Mbare high density suburb for a small profit.

She said the tobacco marketing season is a stepping stone for most vendors.

“The marketing season presents us with an opportunity to make money through selling different wares to the farmers.

  
“Whilst during the season I can sell an average of 75 plates at a dollar per plate, during the off season sometimes we get so desperate to the extent of selling a plate for 50 cents," Muteremuka said.

She added “Not all the days are the same at the floors but there is always a reasonable demand for our services and wares and every single day is better than in Mbare.

“At the floors we always have something to take home.

  
“I have been selling food at the floors for the last three years and every year we look forward to the tobacco marketing season.

  
“We plan the year with the marketing season in mind we hope to do better each year.

  
“I have managed to buy household property using money i made from on- season sells, something which I could never have done if I only operated in Mbare."

She urged other young women to identify similar opportunities and make money. 

Another vendor only identified as Mai Ropa said the tobacco marketing season is not only important to farmers, but to everyone who was born with business in mind.

“This season had been great.There are more farmers hence an increase in the demand for food. 

“Unlike in previous seasons where we played cat and mouse with council authorities, this season we were licensed and given places to operate from where we in turn pay rent. We find this very convenient. 

“I usually run my business in Highfields Machipisa but the returns are not as pleasing as I get here.

  
“On a good day I make $200, something which is plausible. Not in my wildest dream can I make such money in Machipisa, not even in two days.

  
“We all look forward to the marketing season," she said.

Most vendors who sell different wares during the tobacco marketing season at auction and contract floors have seen this period as the time to fulfill their dreams.

  
After twenty six days of the marketing season, growers of the golden leaf have been paid $170million dollars after delivering 62million kilograms compared to $136million that had been paid out to farmers by the same time last year after they had delivered 49million kilograms.

  
The average price on the auction floors is $2.72 whilst on the contract floors it is $2.73 

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 WhatsApp 0731999999 or E-mail: info@timb.co.zw