Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
TOBACCO farmers are enjoying the benefits of the government’s move to decentralise selling points for the golden leaf, following the establishment of contract floors in Mashonaland West, Central and East provinces a few years ago.
TSL is the only floor that commenced tobacco marketing in Mvurwi on Thursday, with the rest of the contract floors in Bindura, Marondera and Karoi set to follow suit on Monday.
Farmers welcomed the start of the selling season, highlighting that having floors near their homes brings convenience.
“We are happy with having floors in Mvurwi. This place is near our home and it makes everything easy,” a farmer said.
“The good payments which I got here mean I can safely pay workers and be able to return to the fields so I am quite pleased,” a tobacco farmer added.
TSL Floor Manager, Mr Christian Nyamuziwa said sales commenced without a glitch and expressed optimism of more deliveries.
“We have started the marketing of tobacco well and the farmers are coming through. We were inspected by the regulator, TIMB, and we are following the rules they have set for us,” he said.
The golden leaf is the country’s top foreign currency earner and the marketing season signals an increase in foreign currency circulation and increased business in the farming town of Mvurwi and other tobacco production hubs.
