Poor rainy season hits tobacco price #Zimbabwe

Poor rainfall in the 2014-15 season saw substantial amounts of poor
quality tobacco lower leaves being delivered thus dragging average
crop prices down.
TIMB CEO Andrew Matibiri told businessdigest on Tuesday in a
telephone interview that lower leaves made the bulk of the golden leaf
which went under hammer this year, with middle and upper leaves
failing to blossom due to erratic rainfall that crippled the booming of
this year's season.
"The season in our view was difficult. It was hot and dry and most
farmers did not plant on time. in," Matibiri said.
"Lower tobacco leaves were of poor quality, did not have flavour and
aroma. When it comes to selling lower leaves did not fetch good
prices; due to the poor leaf quality the average tobacco price declined
by 7%."
According to TIMB figures, on the 88th day of the season the average
2015 tobacco price was pegged at US$2,93, down from US$3,17
recorded last year.
Auction sales attracted 46 million kg at US$2,44 per kg, down from
50,1 million kg sold at US$2,71 per kg realised in the same period last
year.
The tobacco marketing season, which traditionally starts mid-February,
was delayed until March 4 and had a relatively shorter tenure after
deliveries at the country's three auction floors ended this Wednesday,
barely four months after opening day.
However, tobacco deliveries to contract floors will continue until end of
July with final mop-up sales for both contract and auction floors set
for August 4.
This year only 25% of sold tobacco was delivered to auction floors with
the rest being channeled to contract floors. There is growing fear that
if the trend continues it will cause the demise of the tobacco farming
as is the case in the cotton industry.
Some auction floors have started to support farmers by way of
providing free transport and hessian packs to lure farmers to their
floors.