The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) in Zimbabwe has revised its deadlines for buying A-class licenses from December 31 to March 31 for buying and October 31 for renewing of each year. This applies to contractors who directly buy unprocessed tobacco from growers and to individuals or entities who purchase self-financed unprocessed leaf at the auction floors.
An A-class buying license allows holders to buy self-funded unprocessed tobacco at licensed auction floors without requiring prior contractual obligations with the growers.
“The new deadline dates are meant to align with the Contractors Compliance Administration Framework which all contractors must sign before they get a contracting license,” TIMB said in a statement. “The review of deadline dates will also address longstanding challenges such as delayed input delivery and non-compliance with minimum input package requirements, which have historically disadvantaged farmers.
“Renewing or applying for a new A-class buying license by October 31 will also allow buyers to timeously secure funding so they can purchase tobacco in the next marketing season.”
Tobacco is Zimbabwe’s second major foreign currency earner after gold predominantly produced by smallholder farmers who were allocated land under the land reform program the country embarked on in 2000. In 2024, the country’s tobacco export earnings increased by 16.6 percent to US$1.4 billion from the export of 243.3 million kilograms.
