Zimbabwe: More tobacco expected from contract farmers (11/04/08)
 

Saltlakes Holdings, a local tobacco company, said deliveries of tobacco from their contracted farmers are expected to reach 5 million kilogrammes this year.
 
 
The company, through its subsidiary, Saltlakes Tobacco, runs the biggest tobacco outgrower scheme in the country. Last year, the company - which also offers advisory services to tobacco growers - contracted about 6 000 smallholder farmers and cropped 10 000 hectares.

Saltlakes Holdings chief executive Mr Temba Mliswa said this year's projected output has surpassed their earlier projection. He said the pre-selling season assessment has also shown that the quality of tobacco has improved compared to last year.

"Despite all challenges that we faced during the course of last year's farming season, we have achieved very encouraging production levels," said Mr Mliswa. "We have also been impressed with the quality of tobacco our farmers produced and is most likely to fetch top dollar." Zimbabwe's auction floors are expected to open on April 22.

The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board has projected deliveries would range between 75 million kg and 80 million kg. The TIMB figure is not far from the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association projection of between 70 and 75 million kg.

Mr Mliswa said Saltlakes was planning to increase the number of farmers under its outgrower scheme as part of efforts aimed at complementing Government's black empowerment.

Source: The Herald

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