Zim tobacco sales lowest in five decades

[dArKeR]

Harare - Zimbabwe's annual auction of tobacco, once the motor of one of Africa's most vigorous economies, closed on Monday at its lowest volume in nearly 50 years, with even an even gloomier future for the next season's crop.

Sales on all three auction floors ended with 80,2 million kilograms of smoking leaf - less than half last year's 166 million kilograms and a third of the record 236 million kilograms sold in 2000.

The Zimbabwe Tobacco Association, which represents growers, is forecasting a crop next year of 60 million kilograms, but officials admit it may drop to 40 million.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's seizures of white-owned farms - a large proportion of which produced tobacco - and the accelerating economic collapse driven by the 79-year-old leader's economic policies are said to be behind the tobacco collapse.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=68&art_id=qw1066663086874B253&set_id=1

Is there any history of Zimbabwe tobacco connected to the American south tobacco industry?

[alexwcovington]

1. Dunno

Still more evidence that Mugabe is driving his nation into the ground.

Tobacco being a luxury good (and one that is hard to part with) -- an economic bellweather.

[Old and In the Way]

2. deleted subject....nt