E-auctions ready to go
The spectacular growth of Zimbabwean tobacco production has prompted Mashonaland Tobacco Co. to reopen its processing facility.
Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has said that it will be introducing e-auctions for the 2017 flue-cured tobacco marketing season, according to a story in The Herald.
The TIMB said that the introduction was part of its efforts to curb corruption and improve transparency on the auction floors.
Corporate Communications Manager Isheunesu Moyo said that a dummy sale had been conducted with buyers at one of the auction floors.
Meanwhile, the TIMB said it had licensed three auction floors – Boka Tobacco Floors, Tobacco Sales Floor and Premier Tobacco Floors – as well as 15 contracting companies for the 2017 sales season.
Most Zimbabwe farmers with early irrigated flue-cured tobacco are already reaping and curing their crops.