Recently, Kevin had a wonderful trip to Southern Africa to visit some of our growing partners across the ocean. One of the primary farming industries that we work with in Africa is the tobacco growers of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
When Kevin arrived, he was greeted with the hustle and bustle of farmers hurriedly putting the last touches on their seedbeds to ensure they were ready to plant their seedlings on the 1st of September. Tobacco soil preparation requires attention for some months before the planting can commence.
To ensure a successful yield, tobacco farmers start their preparation in January by ploughing their fields and assessing the relevant requirements their soil needs to be best placed for a good harvest. Adding lime, gypsum and other soil additives prepares the soil for planting. From May, small-batch seedbeds need to be prepared for the seedlings to be grown before they are transplanted into the fields at large. During the month, farmers will also destroy any of the previous year’s harvest that still remains in order to break any pest or disease cycles before the new season’s plants are sowed.
The months of June, July, and August are reserved for seed sowing and allowing the seedlings to grow within a 12-week period. These seedlings are treated with the utmost care as they are fragile in their first few weeks of growth. These 12 weeks are also used to do the last ridging of the fields in preparation for the planting season.
When Kevin arrived, the farmers in Zimbabwe and Zambia were nearing the end of this 12-week period and were looking forward to the new season! Since tobacco needs a lot of calcium, Goldsuite has a number of options for tobacco farmers, such as gypsum, lime, and dolomitic lime.
If you would like to gain access to a network of local experts who act as your business support team and who specialise in getting the highest yields from your region, your market, and your climate, then get in touch with us today to find your solution!