2012 tobacco selling season opens

THE 2012 tobacco marketing season opens today with 150 million kg of the golden leaf expected to go under the hammer.

Firmer prices are expected following floods that destroyed the crop in the United States and Brazil, major world producers of flue-cured tobacco.

Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made is expected to officially open the season at Boka Tobacco Auction Floors today.

A survey by The Herald yesterday showed that Millennium Tobacco Floors, Boka Tobacco Floors, Tobacco Sales Floor and Premier Tobacco Auction Floors were ready for the opening day.

By midday, tobacco deliveries had started trickling in at all the four auction floors.

Less congestion is expected this season as more auction floors will be open compared to one on the first day last year.

This year, all the auction floors have put in place measures to curb disease outbreaks such as cholera and typhoid that thrive in dirty and wet conditions.

The tobacco auction floors said they are prepared to deal with cholera or typhoid outbreaks in the course of the marketing season.

All the auction floors have opened clinics which will be manned by qualified personnel.

Boka Tobacco Floors chief executive Ms Rudo Boka said the auction floor has four boreholes, enough toilets and bathing facilities for the farmers.

"We have a clinic for tobacco growers, toilets and bathing facilities and a canteen where they can buy food," she said.

The auction floor also has four generators, which will enable it to continue with operations in the event of power cuts.

This will reduce the time spent by farmers waiting to be served.

Millennium public relations manager Ms Kholiwe Mudakureva said they had drilled two boreholes to ensure tobacco growers have access to clean water.

"If council water is not available, farmers can always have safe clean water from the boreholes," she said.

Premier chief executive Mr Philemon Mangena said the auction floor will provide safe food to farmers from the firm's two canteens.

"We also have two boreholes and we will not allow food vendors at the auction floor," he said.

Mr Mangena said council police will be patrolling the floors to ensure food vendors do not sell at the premises.

TSF general manager Mr James Mutambanesango said the auction floor had enough toilets and bathing facilities to cater for a large number of farmers.

The floor also has boreholes, a clinic and two canteens where farmers can buy food.

Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri said he and other officials inspected the auction floors and were satisfied with the level of preparedness.

"We have done as much as we can to prevent the outbreaks of diseases during the whole of the tobacco selling season.

"The clinics and boreholes were some of the factors we considered when we licensed auction floors," he said.

Dr Matibiri said besides generators, boreholes, clinics and canteens all the operating floors had police posts where incidents can be quickly reported.

The tobacco auction floors open today with contract sales opening tomorrow.

Harare City Health Department confirmed it inspected all the floors' food and health facilities and was satisfied with the preparations.

"We do not allow food vending by unlicensed people. In fact, we will see how we can regularise vending activities so that people have adequate sanitary facilities."