Mashonaland Central Tobacco growers outshined others by scooping most of yesterday’s awards when the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), in conjunction with other stakeholders in the industry rewarded outstanding smallholder farmers at the Harare Agricultural Show with farming implements.
Mrs Tracy Shani (53) from Mashonaland Central was named Small-scale Tobacco Grower of the Year and took home a tractor, $1 000, inputs, air tickets to a local destination, a certificate and a trophy.
Mrs Shani also won 1st price last year and expressed joy and gratitude for winning the competition for the second time.
“It shows that my efforts are being recognised.
“I am now going to look for my own farm since I was renting.
“The tractor will assist me a lot in land preparations,” Mrs Shani said.
The number of competitors in the tobacco sector doubled from nine last year to 19 this year.
Speaking at the prize-giving ceremony at the Exhibition Park yesterday, Ethical Leaf Tobacco chief executive David Machingaidze applauded the farmers for their hard work.
“I congratulate our valued farmers and the industry for producing an all-time record crop of more than 250 million kilogrammes.
“The involvement of key tobacco institutions in tobacco and the efforts that you the farmers are putting in making a world class leaf is a tremendous step in safeguarding the golden leaf’s relevance in Zimbabwe,” Machingaidze said.
He urged farmers acquiee more knowledge and skills in tobacco production.
“I urge you to continuously work on improving your production and productivity to keep abreast with both the local and international competitors,” he said.
He also implored them to learn from each other through sharing information and attending trainings.
Machingaidze applauded the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) for revitalising the Tobacco Section Committee that had been temporarily suspended in 1997.
Zimbabwe, which is the third major producer of flue-cured tobacco in the world, surpassed its previous all-time record of 237 million kilogrammes that was achieved in 2000.
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