TobaccoReporter logo

Tag: Zimbabwe

  • Zimbabwe Boasts 22% Increase in Tobacco Plantings

    Zimbabwe Boasts 22% Increase in Tobacco Plantings

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) announced that 27,215 hectares of tobacco have been planted for the 2025-26 season, a 22% increase from last season’s 22,392 hectares that realized $1.2 billion in sales. The increase is especially good news after TIMB announced that only 66% of farmers had registered before the deadline two weeks ago.

    Mashonaland East led the growth with a 41% increase, followed by Manicaland (17%) and Mashonaland West (15.4%). Midlands and Masvingo also recorded significant gains, though on smaller scales. TIMB also announced that a record 23,517 hectares of the crop would be irrigated this year, another accomplishment considering last year small-scale farmers produced over 85% of the crop.

    Zimbabwe remains Africa’s largest tobacco producer and the sixth largest globally, supporting over 160,000 households and contributing more than half of the country’s agricultural exports.

  • WHO’s Tobacco Targeting Threatens Zimbabwe’s Economy

    WHO’s Tobacco Targeting Threatens Zimbabwe’s Economy

    Zimbabwe’s multi-billion-dollar tobacco industry is confronting a potential crisis as the World Health Organization (WHO) considers pushing for tighter global controls—and potentially a ban on tobacco production—over alleged child labor, environmental harm, and concentration of market power in financing, according to Bulawayo. If enforced, the measures could devastate Zimbabwe’s economy. Tobacco is the country’s fourth-largest foreign currency earner after gold, platinum, and remittances, generating $1.2 billion in 2025 and supporting more than 135,000 growers.

    Agriculture Minister Dr. Anxious Masuka said the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and other anti-tobacco forums were intensifying efforts to discourage production in developing countries. He said such measures would not only devastate economies like Zimbabwe’s but also deepen poverty among farmers who depend on the crop. At a recent T5 Meeting in Harare, attended by regional producers including Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, Masuka warned that anti-tobacco efforts under the FCTC threaten livelihoods and national stability. He argued that tobacco remains a legal crop and an adult-choice product, and that attempts to criminalize its production were unjustified.

    Masuka said the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan—which aims to raise output to 500 million kg by 2030, increase local financing, and promote value addition—will strengthen sustainability while diversifying farmer incomes. Zimbabwe achieved a record 355 million kg harvest last season, its highest ever. However, analysts warn that if the WHO proceeds with restrictions or trade barriers, the country could face severe economic fallout, threatening export revenues and rural livelihoods amid existing inflation and drought pressures.

  • Zimbabwe Sees Steep Decline in Registered Tobacco Farmers for Next Season

    Zimbabwe Sees Steep Decline in Registered Tobacco Farmers for Next Season

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) announced that 82,965 farmers registered to grow tobacco for the 2025/26 season, with the registration deadline closing October 31. Both new and returning growers are required to pay a $10 registration fee before starting production. Farmers who miss the deadline now face penalties — ranging from $10 to $90, depending on how late they register.

    According to The Herald, the TIMB announced more than 126,000 registered tobacco growers for the 2024/25 season.

    TIMB said registration is crucial for industry planning, forecasting, and maintaining market stability. The board uses the data to estimate crop size, monitor trends, and ensure smooth marketing operations. Zimbabwe remains Africa’s largest producer of flue-cured tobacco, with this year’s output reaching 355 million kilograms worth $1.2 billion.

  • Unifreight Africa Expands Fleet Ahead of 2026 Tobacco Season

    Unifreight Africa Expands Fleet Ahead of 2026 Tobacco Season

    Unifreight Africa, a leading transport and logistics company that specializes in agricultural products—especially tobacco—announced it is set to grow its cross-border fleet from Q4 2025 through Q1 2026 to meet anticipated demand during the upcoming tobacco season. The move follows Zimbabwe’s record-breaking 2025 tobacco crop of over 350 million kilograms, which generated $1.2 billion in revenue, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB).

    Unifreight’s operational readiness, including its expanding 4PL division and partnerships with third-party operators, positions it to handle peak tobacco volumes while maintaining service continuity. The company also plans to leverage its capabilities for other sectors such as lithium, maize, and cross-border trade, ensuring diversified growth even if the tobacco season underperforms.

  • Zimbabwe Hits Record Tobacco Output, Faces Climate Risks

    Zimbabwe Hits Record Tobacco Output, Faces Climate Risks

    Zimbabwe closed its 2025 tobacco marketing season with a record 352.7 million kilograms sold, generating $1.2 billion in revenue—a 53% increase from last year, underscoring the crop’s role as the country’s top foreign currency earner.

    Analysts warn, however, that the gains remain fragile. Industry stakeholders are urging investment in dams, irrigation, and climate-smart practices to sustain growth. Without intervention, they say, Zimbabwe’s record output may prove unsustainable in the face of mounting environmental pressures.

    The sector, dominated by smallholder farmers without irrigation infrastructure, is increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks such as last year’s El Niño-induced drought. Tobacco curing also contributes to deforestation, compounding water scarcity challenges.

  • Zimbabwe: Push for Local Participation, More Tobacco Processing

    Zimbabwe: Push for Local Participation, More Tobacco Processing

    Industry experts are calling for a more inclusive and diversified tobacco sector in Zimbabwe, urging greater opportunities for small-scale indigenous players in value addition and exports.

    Speaking at the 2025 Tobacco Conference, Mutandwa Mutasa, from the Zimbabwe Progressive Tobacco Farmers Association, said the industry remains dominated by foreign companies, with locals largely excluded from lucrative processing and manufacturing stages. He proposed measures including indigenous export quotas, government-backed production guarantees, and mandatory sourcing of tobacco volumes through local companies. Mutasa also called for more indigenous professionals in key industry roles.

    While land reform has expanded primary production to nearly 150,000 farmers, 90% of Zimbabwe’s tobacco is still exported semi-processed, with most profits captured abroad. Experts say a strong indigenization roadmap is needed to secure a larger share of the value chain for local players.

  • China Fuels Zimbabwe’s Record-Breaking $1.2B Tobacco Season

    China Fuels Zimbabwe’s Record-Breaking $1.2B Tobacco Season

    Zimbabwe’s 2025 tobacco marketing season closed yesterday (August 7), with farmers earning a record $1.2 billion from 352.7 million kilograms of the golden leaf, significantly surpassing the 300 million kg target. About 11% of total production was sold to China, according to the Tobacco Industry & Marketing Board (TIMB).

    “The global demand for tobacco also pushed the prices,” TIMB chairman Patrick Devenish said in an interview. “The Chinese are our biggest customers and the demand for nicotine through the vaping business also had a good effect for us.”

    According to TIMB data, the average 2025 price was $3.32/kg, slightly down from last year’s $3.43. Auction prices peaked at $4.99/kg, while contract growers saw highs of $6.30/kg. Lands and Agriculture Permanent Secretary Prof. Obert Jiri hailed the season as a milestone for the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan, urging greater local value addition, which currently stands at 10.15%, toward a 30% goal under the National Development Strategy 1.

    With 93% of production under contract farming, the government is working to refine the system and has proposed a $50 million agriculture fund. Stakeholders emphasized the need for local financing to reduce reliance on foreign currency and boost cigarette manufacturing, which currently produces 4 billion sticks annually against a 17 billion-stick capacity.

    Zimbabwe, the world’s fifth-largest tobacco producer, has over 140,000 active farmers.

  • South African Court Allows Seizures of Tobacco Smuggling Trucks

    South African Court Allows Seizures of Tobacco Smuggling Trucks

    South Africa’s Hawks (a specialized police unit) and the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) secured high court orders to seize vehicles used in the smuggling of illicit cigarettes from Zimbabwe, marking a significant step in efforts to curb cross-border tobacco crime.

    The Limpopo High Court granted a forfeiture order for a Freightliner Argosy truck and two trailers, intercepted at Beitbridge border post in March while carrying Zimbabwean-made cigarettes. The vehicles, worth $48,000, were confiscated after the arrest of the driver. In a separate case, authorities also secured a forfeiture order for a VW bus valued at $9,100 in a 2023 case of transporting illicit cigarettes.

    Officials say one-third of the cigarettes in South Africa are smuggled from Zimbabwe. Smugglers reportedly buy cigarette boxes for $120 in Zimbabwe and resell them for up to $840 in South Africa. Authorities have pledged continued action against smugglers, as tobacco tax evasion and black-market sales remain a major challenge to public health and revenue collection.

  • Zimbabwe, Algeria Deepening Trade Ties with Tobacco at Center

    Zimbabwe, Algeria Deepening Trade Ties with Tobacco at Center

    Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently went to Algeria for a two-day State visit aimed at strengthening trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. While Zimbabwe and Algeria have maintained strong political ties, economic exchanges have remained limited. The visit is expected to pave the way for new bilateral trade agreements, with a particular focus on agriculture, especially tobacco exports.

    Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Algeria, Vusumuzi Ntonga, confirmed that Virginia tobacco from Zimbabwe is already reaching Algerian markets—but indirectly, through third parties.

    “We actually visited one of the factories of the tobacco companies, where we saw bales and bales of Virginia tobacco from Zimbabwe, but coming through a third company,” Ntonga said. “We invited the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) and they had direct discussions with the company here. The company agreed to look at the options of buying directly from Zimbabwe. And they are also interested in buying all their Virginia tobacco supplies from Zimbabwe. So that is an opportunity that TIMB needs to follow up and finalize.”

    The President is set to meet Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for one-on-one talks, followed by the signing of several cooperation agreements.

  • TIMB: Zimbabwe Can Produce 17B Cigarettes

    TIMB: Zimbabwe Can Produce 17B Cigarettes

    Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) said the country has the potential to manufacture 17 billion cigarette sticks, up from its current 4 billion. Since the government crafted the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan (TVCTP) in 2021, the nation’s cigarette manufacturing has increased 10%, but, on the back of a record-setting crop, TIMB says it could be significantly higher.

    “Now that we have reached and exceeded 300 million kgs of tobacco sold in 2025, it’s time to scale up local cigarette manufacturing,” said TIMB. “That’s a massive opportunity, let’s increase capacity utilization, attract new manufacturers and ensure more jobs, more exports and more local wealth creation. We call on interested entrepreneurs to invest in Zimbabwe’s tobacco value chain through partaking in cigarettes manufacture for export, processing and packing machinery, tobacco packaging materials, shisha, and cut tobacco.”