Zimbabwe’s shisha flue-cured tobacco commercial production increased 270 percent to 407 hectares this season, according to Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) statistics, reports The Herald.
Last year, 101,559 kg of shisha were marketed at an average of $3.15 per kilogram. It reached a high price of $5.40 per kilogram.
Currently, Cavendish Lloyd is the only TIMB registered and licensed shisha merchant.
“Consideration of the dreaded El Nino weather pattern led to farmers planting 407 hectares, a figure less than the planned over 500 this season,” said Tinashe Mukadzambo, Cavendish Lloyd CEO. “In our maiden commercial season last year, we did 110 hectares from 10 commercial growers.”
More commercial, semi-commercial and small-scale growers, in addition to the 10 commercial growers, were added this year, said Mukadzambo.
Tobacco Reporter profiled Cavendish Lloyd’s operations in its May 2022 print edition (see “Great Expectations”).