Zimbabwe Exports Up

Zimbabwe earned nearly 3.5 times as much from tobacco exports in January than it did in the same month of 2023, reports The Herald.

The country exported leaf worth $274.7 million last month, compared with $80.9 million a year ago. The golden leaf raked in just over $1.2 billion from the more than 233 million kilograms exported in 2023.

According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, exporters shipped 37.8 million kg to date this year, with the bulk of leaf going to China, which has so far imported 30.2 million kg valued at $248.8 million. The average price was $8.24 per kg.

African countries imported the second largest amount of Zimbabwean tobacco at 3.2 million kg worth $9.3 million at an average price of $2.89 per kg.

European Union countries imported 1.3 million kg of tobacco from Zimbabwe valued at $2.6 million at an average price of $2.09 a kg.

For next season, Zimbabwe’s tobacco growers have thus far planted 113,101 hectares, compared to 117,645 ha in the same period last year.

The decrease in tobacco planting is largely attributed to the delayed start of the rainy season.