Staff ReporterTobacco worth thousands of dollars has been destroyed by a hailstorm in Macheke, Beatrice and other parts of the country.
Several farmers have been left counting their losses after hailstorm destroyed their golden leaf in Macheke, Beatrice and other tobacco greenbelts of the country.
The most affected are the small scale farmers whose tobacco was wiped out by the storm and lack of insurance cover worsened the situation as growers depend on the income from the golden leaf.
While the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board is still assessing the value of destruction, farmers have been urged to insure their crop against such eventualities so that they can recover when disaster strikes.
The 2017/2018 tobacco production outlook shows that the country can hit the $1 billion forex mark as more farmers continue to venture in the growing of the gold leaf.
