Zimbabwe has sold 24.3 million kilograms of tobacco over the past 45 days since the beginning of the selling season this year, earning about 50 million U.S. dollars, reported the Zimbabwe Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board over the weekend.

It sold about 20.6 million kilograms in the same period of last year. An official from the board said deliveries continued to improve though at a slow pace. He said most farmers were lamenting shortage of labor to grade their crop.

Of the total sales, about 12.3 million kilograms of tobacco were sold through contract farming this year.

Figures released showed that the government had so far paid out about 600,000 US dollars as early delivery bonus to growers.

Source: Xinhua