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Category: Agriculture & Sustainability

  • Zimbabwe Assures Farmers as Tobacco Prices Begin Stabilizing

    Zimbabwe Assures Farmers as Tobacco Prices Begin Stabilizing

    The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has reassured Zimbabwean tobacco farmers that market prices are stabilizing following an early-season shock where some bales sold for as little as $0.35 per kg, despite the first bale fetching $4.60/kg. TIMB attributed the sharp early declines to a global oversupply of tobacco, the early opening of sales floors, and limited initial participation by buyers, rather than any structural market distortions.

    With the opening of contract floors, including Northern Tobacco, prices have begun to recover, and no complaints from growers were reported during the latest auctions. TIMB emphasized its mandate to protect farmer welfare, pledging to monitor the market closely and prevent conduct that could harm competition or disadvantage growers, urging farmers to allow normal market dynamics to restore stability as broader buyer participation continues.

  • Zimbabwe’s 2026 Tobacco Season Opens 

    Zimbabwe’s 2026 Tobacco Season Opens 

    Zimbabwe officially opened its 2026 tobacco marketing season yesterday (March 4), with Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube saying that Zimbabwe continues to establish its position as a global player in tobacco production, with the objective to not only grow volumes but also increase domestic production. “Value addition and beneficiation will be increased from 11% to 30% by creating an enabling environment for local processing of cut rag cigarettes and other tobacco products,” he said.

    The opening marked the government’s launch of its Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan II (2026–2030), a five-year strategy aimed at boosting value addition in the key export sector. The plan seeks to enhance productivity, sustainability, and farmer resilience through climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, mechanization programs, and the localization of up to 70% of tobacco production financing. It also aims to diversify export markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

    The first bale for the 2026 season sold for $4.60 per kg, slightly below last year’s $4.65. 

  • TIMB Keeping Tobacco Money Home, Limiting Unregulated Sales

    TIMB Keeping Tobacco Money Home, Limiting Unregulated Sales

    With 67% local financing in place, Zimbabwe has nearly reached its goal of reducing reliance on offshore funding that limits domestic tobacco value retention, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB). TIMB set the goal of 70% local financing, as officials estimate that under external financing models, for every U.S. dollar financed, only 12 cents remains in the country. Tobacco remains the country’s largest agricultural export and second-largest foreign currency earner after gold, generating about $1.2 billion last year.

    Tobacco output exceeded expectations last year, reaching 355 million kg against a 300 million kg target, with projections of around 400 million kg this year, with more than 90% of tobacco under contract arrangements. While production growth has been strong, value addition remains subdued at 10.78% against a 30% target.

    TIMB has also introduced tougher penalties and a biometric grower management system ahead of the new marketing season, significantly raising fines for regulatory breaches. Farmers caught engaging in side marketing will be fined $50 per bale, up from $20, while merchants purchasing such tobacco will pay $200 per bale. Illegal buying point operators, known as “Makoronyera,” risk fines of up to $2,000.

    TIMB confirmed that 48 contractors and 46 Class A buyers have been licensed for the 2026 season, with grading categories streamlined to enhance global competitiveness amid evolving climatic and market conditions. Five firms were barred over compliance issues.

  • Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Season Ready to Open

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Season Ready to Open

    Zimbabwe’s tobacco auction floors are set to open March 4, with contract floors following a day later, as authorities express confidence in their readiness for the marketing season. Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos said inspections last week showed strong preparation across the three auction floors, which are expected to handle increased volumes following a 15% rise in planted area to about 164,500 hectares. The government is targeting 500 million kg of output by 2030 as part of plans to build a $7 billion industry, with officials projecting around 400 million kilograms this season. Floor operators, including Premier Tobacco Auction Floor and Ethical Sales Floor, said systems are in place to ensure smooth operations and prompt payments, with some farmers expected to receive funds within an hour, while the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board highlighted new biometric measures to curb side marketing.

  • Tanzania Advances Renewable Energy for Tobacco Curing

    Tanzania Advances Renewable Energy for Tobacco Curing

    The Tobacco Research Institute of Tanzania (TORITA) is accelerating efforts to reduce deforestation and improve farmer incomes by promoting renewable energy solutions for tobacco curing. Historically reliant on firewood, the curing process has contributed to forest degradation in key growing regions. TORITA is now advancing solar-powered drying systems and energy-efficient curing barns designed to lower fuel costs, improve productivity, and reduce environmental impact. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Jacob Lisuma said the institute’s research is focused on practical, affordable applications that directly address smallholder challenges rather than theoretical outcomes.

    TORITA is strengthening its impact through partnerships with academic and regional research bodies, including Nelson Mandela African University, the Tobacco Research Board, and Malawi’s Research and Agricultural Technology Institute. Collaboration with regulators such as the Tanzania Fertiliser Regulatory Authority and the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticide Authority supports the development of improved inputs alongside alternative energy technologies. Funded through government backing and industry levies, the institute’s initiatives aim to align sustainability with profitability, offering smallholder farmers lower curing costs while contributing to long-term environmental protection.

  • Pakistani Growers Seek Help Over Issues with Tobacco Companies

    Pakistani Growers Seek Help Over Issues with Tobacco Companies

    The chairman of the Tobacco Growers Association in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Daud Jan Khan, said 2026 had the potential to be one of the worst years for growers, accusing national and multinational purchasing companies of exploitative practices and alleging that the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) failed to enforce agreements under Martial Law Order 487 or ensure proper use of cess funds for tobacco-growing regions. Khan led a seven-member delegation that met with Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who, after the meeting, pledged to address farmers’ concerns on a priority basis.

    Khan also claimed exports declined due to harassment of small dealers by tax authorities and said the governor promised to convene a joint meeting with companies and PTB officials after Eidul Fitr to seek solutions.

  • Zimbabwe Getting ‘Climate Smart’ in its Climb to 500M Kg

    Zimbabwe Getting ‘Climate Smart’ in its Climb to 500M Kg

    Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry is set to transition from rain-fed farming to “climate-smart production” (i.e. drought-tolerant varieties, improved crop rotation, improved soil management, etc.) under the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan 2 (2026–2030), unveiled at a stakeholder workshop on February 19. The blueprint targets production of 500 million kg of tobacco annually and aims to grow the sector’s value from $1.2 billion to $7 billion by 2030, while increasing value addition from 11% to 30%. Officials said the plan will localize at least 70% of industry financing, expand export markets under the “Zimbabwe Tobacco” brand, and align production with Environmental, Social and Governance standards, including mandatory afforestation, elimination of child labor, and implementation of a digital traceability system to enhance sustainability and global competitiveness.

  • Pakistani Governor Calls for More Revenue to Tobacco Farmers

    Pakistani Governor Calls for More Revenue to Tobacco Farmers

    Faisal Karim Kundi, governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said the province—Pakistan’s largest tobacco producer—does not receive a fair share of industry profits and tax revenues, despite its significant contribution to national output. Speaking during a meeting at Governor House with Pakistan Tobacco Board Secretary Fakharuddin Khan, officials noted that tobacco is cultivated across districts including Swabi, Mardan, and Charsadda, generating Rs320 billion ($1.2 billion) annually and supporting around 1.2 million livelihoods nationwide, while contributing Rs483 billion ($1.7 billion) in Federal Excise Duty and Sales Tax in FY2024-25. The governor called for greater reinvestment in the province, stronger farmer protections, transparent procurement, adoption of modern farming practices and expanded exports to bolster both provincial and national economic stability.

  • NCV Sparks Agricultural Transformation in Zimbabwe

    NCV Sparks Agricultural Transformation in Zimbabwe

    Naturally cured Virginia (NCV) tobacco is driving what officials describe as an agricultural breakthrough in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland North and South provinces, with 325 growers planting 370 hectares this season — up from 122 growers and 84 hectares last year. Backed by contracts with Atlas Agri and supported by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, the crop’s rapid expansion marks a shift beyond the country’s traditional tobacco regions in Mashonaland and Manicaland.

    Introduced as a 10-hectare pilot just three seasons ago, NCV is gaining traction as a climate-smart alternative that requires no firewood for curing, lowering costs and environmental impact while offering smallholder farmers in drier regions a viable new income stream. With growing global demand for sustainably produced tobacco and the establishment of a local sales floor to ease market access, stakeholders say NCV is helping to decentralize production and unlock fresh economic potential in previously underrepresented farming communities.

    “As global markets increasingly demand sustainably produced tobacco, buyers are paying premiums for crops with low environmental footprints,” Rhyne Chikuni wrote for News Day. “NCV tobacco answers this global call, positioning Zimbabwe as a responsible and forward-looking producer. This is sustainability paired with economic viability.”

  • Zimbabwe Tobacco Farmers Want Forex Review as Season Approaches

    Zimbabwe Tobacco Farmers Want Forex Review as Season Approaches

    As Zimbabwe prepares for the March 4 opening of the 2026 tobacco marketing season, growers are urging authorities to review the 70:30 foreign currency retention policy, arguing that receiving 30% of payments in local currency (ZiG) erodes profits as most production costs are pegged in U.S. dollars. Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association chairman George Seremwe said farmers are ready for the season but want the policy aligned with input costs, while Tobacco Farmers Union Trust president Edward Dune noted that fertilizers and other inputs are sold in foreign currency, reducing the real value of local currency payments. The marketing season, announced by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), will coincide with the launch of the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan 2, which targets 500 million kg annually by 2030, with more than 400 million kg expected this year.

    TIMB said it has licensed 48 contractors and 46 Class A buyers for the 2025/26 season, with three auction floors — Tobacco Sales Floor, Premier Tobacco Auction Floors and Ethical Sales Floor — set to operate. Authorities are also cracking down on side marketing and informal buyers offering low prices, while farmer groups including the Zimbabwe National Farmers Union have urged growers to sell through formal channels to secure better returns. With 113,327 registered growers and a 15% increase in planted hectarage, officials say the 2026 crop outlook remains positive, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s position as Africa’s leading tobacco producer.