The government has extended the deadline for destroying tobacco seedbeds to the middle of this month, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has said.
Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development minister Anxious Masuka said the Plant Pests and Diseases (Tobacco) Regulations, 1979, mandate that all tobacco seedbeds be destroyed by December 31 to break the life cycle of pests and diseases that can affect tobacco plants.
However, due to a prolonged dry spell and delayed rains, farmers relying on rain-fed dryland tobacco could not transplant in time due to insufficient water resources.
Considering these challenges TIMB advocated for growers and Masuka has extended the deadline to January 15, 2025.
“This decision ensures that farmers can preserve their investments and reap the benefits of their months of hard work,” TIMB said in a statement.
“Tobacco production involves sowing seeds and maintaining a seedbed for three months, land preparation and preparing ridges onto which they will transplant the seedlings.
“Therefore, destroying all tobacco plants in seedbeds means farmers cannot transplant anymore.”
The tobacco marketing board said the current rains have brought relief and optimism for dryland tobacco growers, marking a turning point for the 2024/25 season.
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“As of December 27, 2024, growers had transplanted 84 661 hectares, surpassing the 82 392 hectares recorded during the same period in 2023,” TIMB said.
“Additionally, 126 092 growers have been registered, compared to 112 904 growers last year.
“These figures highlight the industry’s resilience and growth, with a national target of 300 million kilogrammes of tobacco set for the season.”
TIMB said to ensure success, the focus for the season remains on adopting climate-smart agriculture practices that build resilience against erratic weather patterns.
“Tobacco growers are encouraged to control weeds to reduce competition for water, use potholes to capture rainfall and prevent runoff, and maintain proper ridges for efficient drainage,” the board said.
“Meanwhile, reaping of the early irrigated crop is underway with reports of promising leaf quality in areas where good agronomic practices have been followed.
“Maintaining high-quality tobacco is also paramount so growers are encouraged to stay on top of agronomy.
“With efforts to ensure fair competition to secure better prices for farmers, proper tobacco handling and storage are also critical to reducing post-harvest losses.”
