Production practices 



Production of flue-cured tobacco in Southern Rhodesia is a large-scale operation. 

 The tobacco is for the most part produced on large farms under individual ownership of 

 Europeans (the local ternn for whites). A typical tobacco farm has a total area of about 

 1,000 acres. On the average, 70 to 90 acres of tobacco are grown per farm each year. 

 This is about twice the average (of 35 acres per farm) for Canada and approximately 

 25 times the average allotment (of 3 acres per grower) for the United States. Labor is 

 plentiful and cheap compared with labor costs in Canada and the United States. 



Rotations .- -Several different crops are grown in Southern Rhodesian tobacco fields, 

 in a crop rotation system. Grass is one of the most important, with Rhodes grass and 

 Love grass two of the main types used. Choices of grasses for use in tobacco rotation 

 are limited, since a number tend to build up the eel worm (nematode) population. Love 

 grass (Ermelo strain) and Katambora Rhodes grass are recommended; Giant Rhodes 

 grass is not. 



A new grass, "Sabi," has been introduced recently and is being tried on a few farms. 

 There are some indications that it may perform well in these rotations. 



Grasses occupy the tobacco land for 2 to 4 years; after this they are plowed under, 

 with tobacco plantings following. The plowing operation is difficult and expensive because 

 of the heavy grass growth. After being plowed, the fields are sonnetimes left fallow for 

 a time; this aids in the control of nematodes. One of the main factors controlling the 

 amount of tobacco grown each year is the large amount of land tied up in the rotation. 

 Approximately 300 acres might be in rotation grasses on a typical Rhodesian tobacco 

 farm, at one time. 



Ridge planting .- -Contour cultivation is practiced on a large proportion of the farms. 

 Tobacco, maize (corn), and some other row crops are planted on ridges made on the 

 contour. Ridges are a "must" because of the wet seasons. These are 42 to 48 inches 

 apart, with a spacing of 24 inches between plants in the row. Corn is a very important 

 alternative crop and is a basic part of the worker's diet. It is grown for food, feed, and 

 connmercial sale. Planting is often done by hand, as planting on the ridges with machines 

 is difficult. An estimated 90 percent of the corn grown commercially is the hybrid type, 

 and high yields are not unconnmon. 



Southern Rhodesia: Flue-cured tobacco (Kutsaga 51) after topping. 



