Harare (New Ziana) – This year’s tobacco marketing season will start on March 8, amid expectation of a good, bumper crop, the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB), the sector’s regulator, said on Tuesday.
TIMB acting chief executive officer, Emmanuel Matsvaire said auction marketing will be the first to open on March 8, followed by contract sales the next day.
“All stakeholders are advised that the 2023 auction tobacco marketing season opens on Wednesday 8 March 2023″.
Sales at other licenced auction floors will start at 9.00 a.m. on Wednesday 8 March 2023. Contract tobacco sales will open on Thursday 9 March 2023,” he said.
During the 2023 tobacco marketing season, tobacco growers will be paid 85 percent of their earnings in foreign currency, and the balance in local currency.
TIMB will also maintain decentralised marketing started in 2021, which made it easier and cheaper for farmers to market their crop.
Previously, tobacco marketing was centralised in Harare, which farmers found inconvenient and costly as they spent days at auction floors.
Now tobacco marketing is decentralised to Marondera in Mashonaland East, Rusape in Manicaland, Karoi in Mashonaland West as well as Bindura and Mvurwi in Mashonaland Central.
New Ziana
