AS tobacco growers harvest their golden leaf, efforts should be made to handle it well before it is bailed and delivered to the market to avoid having the crop rejected, an official has said.
The harvesting and curing of tobacco is already underway as farmers step up preparations for the 2014 marketing season.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) crop specialist, Simbarashe Muchena said there were steps to be followed when handling tobacco.
“Every season, there are farmers who have their crop rejected by buyers for a number of reasons and it is important that they look out for some of the causes while they are still at the farms,” Muchena said.
Tobacco marketing in the country traditionally begins in February.
Last year, floors were opened on February 14 and ran for 99 days under which 159 million kilogrammes (kg) of the golden leaf went under the hammer.
The tobacco cycle starts in June when farmers prepare their seedbeds, in September planting begins mainly for farmers who irrigate their crop and runs to selling of the crop in February.
The number of tobacco growers has grown to over 88 000 from 8 500, with the new players in the sector yet to grasp the procedures to follow when producing and marketing the golden leaf.
Prior to the Land Reform Programme in 2000 tobacco production was a preserve for white farmers and this meant locals were shut out from the process hence the minimal knowledge of how the marketing process is conducted.
However, over the years, many farmers have taken up tobacco production and stakeholders are putting in place measures to ensure that new growers get the required information, particularly regarding marketing.
Tobacco production was buoyed by adoption of multiple currencies and favourable prices at the floors and also the need by local farmers to demystify tobacco production.
Below is a table indicating some of the reasons bails are rejected and measures to rectify the problems.

REASONS FOR REJECTION HOW TO AVOID
Foreign Matter Grower should ensure that no foreign matter is the bale. Tobacco should be free of floor
sweepings, grading tickets, pieces of string, grass, newspaper and any other foreign matter. Hessian fluff should be carefully removed from grade tobacco. Polythene and plastics products should not be used in handling tobacco. If foreign matter is noticed before sale, the bales will be closed up and not sold. If noticed after sale the bales will be rejected as WR (foreign matter) and if 10 percent of the bales contain foreign matter all bales will be rejected.

Nested Tobacco Nesting is hiding inferior tobacco. No attempt should be made to hide inferior tobacco.
Penalty for nesting is US$20 per bale or imprisonment for one year or both fine and imprisonment. All nested tobacco will be taken to the Board and shall be re-handled and sold to the Board’s account.

Over- conditioning When high humidity is experienced, growers should ensure tobacco is in good keeping
condition and not over conditioned as this may lead to mould and Buyers appeal for ‘wet’ (over condition).

Loose Leaf Growers may agree with the contractor to present their tobacco for sale in a loose form,
subject to the following provisions:
The tobacco must be properly graded.
The leaves must be straight laid and unbroken.
The length variation within the bale must not exceed 75 mm for leaf under 400 mm and 125 mm for leaf over 400 mm.

Grease from the press Grease from the baling box screw should not come out into contact with tobacco.
It is recommended that the screw is always greased under supervision. Bales found on the floors to be contaminated with grease will be rejected as “Damaged” (DR).

Diesel Tobacco for sale should not be transported together with diesel or any other fuel as this
may contaminate the tobacco. Any tobacco that is contaminated with fuel will be withdrawn from sale.