WHY THERE WILL BE LESS DARK PLANTED THIS YEAR

 

MARCH II 2024

Will this dark air-cured tobacco be planted again this season? A lot won't--contracts for the dark types for 2024 are way down. Photo of field near the Highland Research Center, Springfield, Tn., by Christopher Bickers

WHY THERE WILL BE LESS DARK PLANTED THIS YEAR DARK & WRAPPER Attrition is a certainty among dark farmers in western Kentucky and north central Tennessee this season, says Andy Bailey, Kentucky-Tennessee dark specialist. “Some of our dark farmers we won’t see any more [as a result of reductions in contracts].” As of now, the Black Patch is seeing 20 to 25 percent cuts in dark air-cured and from 30 to as high as 60 percent in dark fire-cured, says Bailey…Some dark growers may switch to burley to partially offset losses from dark, he says. Starting greenhouses: Farmers in the Black Patch are starting on their greenhouses now. “A few farmers started seeding the last week of February,” says Bailey. “I know of one who has some plants up already. But most of our growers won’t start until around March 15.” BURLEY In Kentucky, burley growers are just barely getting started on this crop, says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. Some growers have started seeding trays and a few have plants up at the four-leaf stage. Some ground is being plowed, but wet weather has delayed soil preparation in the eastern two thirds of Kentucky. Contracts are still being offered, Pearce says. But overall volume is expected to decline a little compared to last season. NEWS FROM OVERSEAS More news from the Zimbabwe market: The market here opened Wednesday, and our correspondent in Zimbabwe, farmer Albert Manyika, shared some thoughts as to what is on growers’ minds. “We are selling on two auction floors--Tobacco Sales Floor (TSF) and Premier Tobacco Auction Floor (PTAF)—this season. Tobacco farmers shall be paid 75% of their sales proceeds in foreign currency and the remaining 25% shall be paid in local currency on net proceeds." Strict measures are being implemented to guard against child labor. “That includes strict age verification to ensure that only adults can access selling premises,” Manyika says.  Production in Zimbabwe this year is projected to be 10 percent or more below last year’s record of 296 million kg. Drought is the reason, according to press reports.