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The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) is ready for the 2024 Auction tobacco marketing season that opens on Wednesday 13th March 2024.
This emerged at the TIMB Media Interface held at the board’s headquarters in Harare today.
Addressing journalists, Tapiwa Chimedza, the TIMB Head of Business Development revealed that under the Muhancha Project, TIMB is implementing a centralized tobacco production initiative in Mashonaland West Province.
“Through this initiative, TIMB has grouped 28 small-scale tobacco farmers and upscaled their operations into a formalized commercial enterprise. Currently, the farmers have established a thriving 40ha tobacco project of which 75% is irrigated. This is a high-impact project that ties in with the aspirations of the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan, Agriculture Recovery Plan, NDS 1, and Vision 2030,” Mr. Chimedza said.
The board said it has partnered with Hwange Colliery to provide discounted coal to tobacco farmers. The programme was launched in October 2023 and to date, 6,000 tons of coal have been accessed by bonafide farmers. The objective of the programme is to reduce the cost of producing tobacco. Similar interventions are being planned for other tobacco production cost-centres such as fertilizers.
TIMB partnered with AFC Insurance to improve the access to insurance services by small-scale tobacco farmers. This initiative is in line with the Government’s goal of financial inclusion of small-scale farmers and their viability. 6,500 small-scale tobacco farmers were insured in the 2023/2024 season through this facility. The insurance product covers field-to-floor risks which include hail and wind damage.
One of the objectives of the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan (TVCTP) is: “To ensure that 30% of tobacco farmers’ income comes from alternative crops by 2025”. In implementing the TVCTP, TIMB joined the GLOBALG.A.P. Community to promote the inclusion of tobacco farmers in horticultural production and exports. TIMB, through the GLOBALG.A.P. Academy, has trained and affiliated Registered Trainers to facilitate capacity building on the standard requirements of export markets. TIMB is now offering GLOBALG.A.P consultancy services to exporting farmers. TIMB is also developing markets for alternative crops such as sweet potatoes and butternut.
Addressing the same gathering, Isiah Hokonya, the TIMB Inspectorate Manager said TIMB has a vibrant inspectorate department decentralised to all tobacco growing regions to effectively police the tobacco industry.
He said the TIMB is prepared to fight the scourge of tobacco illegal activities for the upcoming season. As the regulatory board, it is equipped with both statutory and administrative regulations.
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