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The golden leaf sector is shockingly assailed by a myriad of challenges. Perhaps that should have been predictable for glitter attracts all kinds, in terms of shape, size, character and disposition.Tobacco, the country’s largest foreign currency earner is immersed in conflict and controversy, shady deals and shoddy characters, which present a clear and present danger to earnings and productivity.

sOver the last decade or so the tobacco selling season has always been confronted with one challenge or another, thus grossly affecting the smooth sale of tobacco that was its hallmark prior to the land reform.

Not that the challenges were not expected following a significant increase from a few thousand farmers to a much larger figure as people fruitfully exploited land allocated to them under the hugely empowering land reform programme that began in 2000.

It is quite evident that the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board is overwhelmed by developments in the sector hence the occurrence and recurrence of problems in the selling of the crop.

One could easily excuse TIMB for the current state given the large numbers that have moved to tobacco growing and yet in the same vein, this body, together with other arms of Government should, by now, have come with up with ways to ensure incident-free sales. A revelation by Boka Auction Floor chief executive Ms Rudo Boka that only 30 percent of the crop is sold on the floors makes it even more baffling.

Why then should there be so much chaos when the floors are trading a mere 30 percent of output? I shudder to even think how it would be like if the auction floors were handling 100 percent. This only goes to show that there is something wrong in the tobacco sector and whatever it is does not need wide eyes and mere lip service but should be articulated henceforth. Tobacco is Zimbabwe’s largest foreign currency earner and is currently sustaining thousands of families while creating downstream industries in a sector that has largely become known more for its controversies that its benefit to the economy.

Two stories on the tobacco issues carried in our paper yesterday made sad reading, particularly the one in which hard-pressed farmers are being prejudiced of their rightful earnings due to greediness and corruption by officials on the sales floor.

It beats me how someone can smile all the way to the bar or some such place where they spend money “earned” from fleecing a farmer who is working so hard to put food on the table, particularly in an environment where the greenback appears quite elusive.

Tobacco is a very complicated and delicate crop to grow, requiring huge resources, one of which is time and labour but highly rewarding if done properly.

A farmer goes through a difficult time that is only made bearable by prospects of high earnings that should come at selling time if the quality is good.

But for someone to steal this joy is as cruel as they come. Greediness and corruption is wrecking havoc in this economy but the challenges being confronted by farmers at the sales floor cannot just be documented or be dismissed as the trend nowadays but should be acted upon expeditiously. Most growers are still inexperienced and need a bit of hand-holding by the sales floors, in conjunction with TIMB to ensure there is no rip-off by greedy middlemen.

Innocent farmers are being hoodwinked into accepting poor prices because, as yesterday’s story shows, they are aware of the prejudice but are desperate to sell and will therefore, settle for the poor prices offered by Class B buyers. Instances where farmers are forced to sell at $2 per kg for a crop that should have seen them earn $4,99 is day-light robbery.

The entire network on the sales floor has teamed up against the poor growers.

The auction floors have become a jungle where only the fittest survive when in fact it should be the place that farmers rush to as they seek to solve their life challenges through dollar power.

Indications are that syndicates that see Class B buyers conniving with class A buyers and officials at the sales floor is obviously impervious to the farmer but authorities need to stamp their authority and rescue the growers.

The TIMB needs to develop real teeth and stop the menace. It needs to deal decisively with whoever is caught as part of the syndicate to send the message home. Corruption now seems to be everywhere but it can still be stopped.

The police should also move in to ensure the growers are protected.

The farmers themselves should not be gullible. They need to find strategies through which they can sell their crop at the right price and enjoy the rewards that come with growing the golden leaf.

Small wonder the bulk of growers have moved to contract growing.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Ms Boka was not too chuffed that auction floors have lost it out to contract farming.

I do not think the trend is surprising given the myriad of challenges that farmers selling via auction floors have been exposed to in recent years.

It’s a natural and quite intellectual decision that they have decided to move to a more decent way of selling their crop. Under contract, they are guaranteed good prices and I am sure the process is less cumbersome and more decent that at the auction floors.

As she rightfully says, the price variance is in favour of contract sales hence its only logical that growers are flocking there.

The world of business is one of survival of the fittest so the floors have to go the extra mile to entice the growers.

Besides the provision of inputs by contractors could be one factor that makes them have an upper hand.

Overall, the truth is the tobacco auction floors have to rise to the occasion and see how their business can be re-established. The global trend is moving towards contract growing. The economy is banking on such sub-sectors as tobacco to help recover.

Exports are presently quite low, at $3,4 billion against imports of $8 billion.

Hope is thus placed on tobacco to ensure more revenue comes Zimbabwe’s way. Previously I used to wonder why there was so much obsession about tobacco and yet smoking is quite harmful until it was explained that it’s used more in preparation of medicines than through smoking.

Zimbabwe’s tobacco has always been in huge demand internationally due to its blending qualities so we should not spoil this ranking through greediness and other myopic tendencies that have proved costly to the economy,

Attention should be directed towards this single largest foreign currency earner to ensure the economy reaps maximum benefits.

An increasing number of growers should not mere translate into more challenges but every effort should be directed towards consolidating the sub-sector’s performance.

Efforts to rid the economy of corruption should not spare the whole tobacco chain.

We expect all hands to be on deck to get the economy out of the woods.

In God I Trust!

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