Farmers Earn $1.3 Million From Shisha Leaf

Farmers in Zimbabwe have earned $1.3 million so far after selling 92 percent of the projected shisha crop size this marketing season, reports The Herald. The season is coming to a close with only one outstanding sale before the 2024 marketing season ends.

Yield projections dropped from 800,000 kg to 500,000 kg due to the El Nino weather pattern, which caused drought and negatively affected the 2023/2024 agricultural season.

Recent Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board statistics showed that growers sold 387,559 kg of shisha leaf valued at $1.27 million. The average price dropped from $3.44 per kilogram to $3.28 per kilogram. The highest price of the season was $5.70 per kilogram, and the lowest price of the season was $0.75 per kilogram. There has been an 8 percent rejection rate.

“We are left with only one sale to clear all the produced shisha crop,” said Tinashe Mukadzambo, CEO of Cavendish Lloyd, the country’s sole shisha buyer.

The 2024/2025 season is expected to be more lucrative due to forecast La Nina weather patterns. Cavendish Lloyd has begun contracting farmers. 

“Growers should have enough arable land for crop rotations, preferably sand to sandy loam soils with priority given to those with a good source of water and can irrigate,” said Mukadzambo. “A risk assessment will be done to check on whether the grower has any outstanding loans from their previous tobacco seasons.”

Shisha production increased 270 percent from 110 hectares during the 2022/2023 season to 407 hectares in the 2023/2024 season. Production is expected to increase to 500 hectares in the 2024/2025 season.