By Emmanuel Chilemba:
The Tobacco Commission (TC) says the tentative demand for tobacco in 2025 from buying companies is pegged at 213 million kilogrammes.
This represents a 12.1 percent increase compared to 190 million kilogrammes demanded last year.
However, the country failed to meet the market demand of 190 million kilogrammes, having only supplied 133 million kilogrammes, and ultimately earned over $396.9 million (about K694.9 billion) at an average price of $2.98 per kg.
Meanwhile, TC Spokesperson Telephorus Chigwenembe expressed optimism that the recent rains have boosted hopes for crop survival, following weeks of dry spells that had dampened expectations for a good tobacco yield in the 2024/2025 season.
He further said that first round of crop estimates survey for the 2024/2025 tobacco farming season set to roll out on Monday, January 13, 2025.
“Coordinated by the Commission, the survey, which ends on January 31, is aimed at providing an initial forecast of tobacco volumes for this year. During the exercise, teams comprising data collection members from different companies and organisations in the tobacco industry will be deployed to various parts of the country,” Chigwenembe said.
Already, the commission has licensed 253.4 million kilogrammes of tobacco as of December 31, 2024.
In the just ended tobacco marketing season, the TC authorities lamented increased cases of nesting, where foreign objects were found in tobacco bales.
About 170,223 kilogrammes of tobacco were realised from confiscated nested tobacco bales.
According to published figures from TC, the re-handled tobacco generated $374,033.74 with 50 percent forfeited to the Commission in penalties.
Chigwenembe, is on record of having warned farmers and other relevant stakeholders in the industry, that the commission will not hesitate to pounce on perpetrators of the same in the current tobacco season.
According to section 96 (8) of the Tobacco Industry Act (2024), nesting is an offense and the Tobacco Commission is empowered to confiscate all nested tobacco bales offered for sale.
In its strategic plans, the Commission envisages to increase annual tobacco production in the country to 200 million kilogrammes by 2028.
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