Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Leonard Makombe
1 November 2002
Harare — There was a last minute rush at the country's three tobacco auction floors as farmers tried to beat yesterday's deadline.
The curtain came down on the 2002 tobacco selling season yesterday after 122 days of selling which commenced on May 14.
But the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board said the deadline could be extended if need be.
Clean-up sales would be conducted in a fortnight when the remainder of the crop would to be auctioned.
Tobacco is Zimbabwe's major foreign currency earner.
The conclusion of this year's selling season marks the end of a season that kicked off on a low note, with farmers withholding their crop citing the low prices which were being offered at the three auction floors.
It was only after the Government intervened by offering an additional US80 cents on each American dollar paid by merchants, that they released the crop.
The managing director of the Tobacco Sales Floor Mr Pat Devenish said there was a significant increase in the number of farmers selling their crop yesterday.
"There are more farmers trying to sell their crop today.
"However, we are not going to realise the targeted 170 million kilograms of the crop for this season and this has largely been a result of the handling losses.
"We expect about 165 million kg of tobacco to pass through the auction floors by the end of the season," Mr Devenish said.
The other auction floors; Barley Marketing Zimbabwe and the indigenous owned Zimbabwe Industry Tobacco Auction Centre also reported improved sales yesterday.
By yesterday afternoon, there was a significant number of bales of tobacco which were still to pass through the auction floors.
TIMB said by end of business on Tuesday, a total of 160 462 647 kg of the gold leaf with a total value of US$364,9 million (Z$57,8 billion) had passed through the three auction floors.
Tobacco was selling at an average US$2,27 (Z$360,40) at all the three auction floors.
It also reported that a total of 3 991 522 kg of burley was sold at the Harare and Mutare auction centres.
Burley tobacco is less popular in Zimbabwe and only one company, BMZ auctions it.
The country's tobacco is on demand internationally because its texture allows it to burn continuously.
This is a result of the climatic conditions in the country.
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