The International Tobacco Growers’ Association Africa Regional Meeting will convene in Harare to address mounting regulatory pressures, volatile market shifts and the long-term economic viability of African farming communities.
In a statement, the ITGA said the high-level gathering, scheduled to take place between June 30 and July 3, 2026, will bring together regional agricultural leaders and international tobacco experts to draft unified strategies confronting stricter global compliance frameworks and changing consumer demands.
The ITGA Africa Regional Meeting serves as the premier annual strategic forum for Africa’s leading tobacco-producing nations — primarily the T5 bloc (Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique.
It brings together grower representatives, agrarian policymakers, regulatory boards and international value-chain stakeholders to align on market dynamics, pricing pressures, and global regulatory threats.
Delegates will open the summit with a critical panel discussion analysing rapid regulatory developments and their direct financial impacts on rural growers.
The backbone of Zimbabwe’s tobacco sector remains its rural smallholder farmers, who constitute the vast majority of the country’s producers.
The meeting will also evaluate current Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria to integrate African smallholders into sustainable global supply chains.
A series of dedicated sessions will facilitate a direct regional dialogue, allowing local growers to exchange technical insights and market data with international agronomic specialists.
Industry experts are expected to deliver a comprehensive global leaf market overview alongside an in-depth analysis of emerging Africa-focused consumption trends.
The summit will conclude by addressing urgent social impact initiatives, focusing on securing a living income for smallholder farmers while strictly reinforcing fair labour practices across the agricultural value chain.
“The importance of the ITGA and its role in the success of farming operations cannot be stressed enough,” Mr Graham Ross, the president of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association, said.
“AS we tackle the common challenges that we face as a region, the ITGA gives us a platform whereby we can discard our individual bias, personal, selfish aims and combine to deliberate and speak with one regional voice.
“In this global economy where we are all competing for a shrinking market share, this forum can unite us, strengthen links and articulate common goals that will see our survival for the next 100 years.”
The regional meeting comes as Zimbabwe celebrates successive record-breaking production levels over the past two years.
While initial Government estimates indicated that the country was poised to hit an unprecedented 400 million kg target this season, some industry players have since lowered projections to between 360 million and 380 million kg.
Despite the downward adjustment, final yields are still expected to eclipse last year’s historic record of 355 million kg.
Record volume outputs from Zimbabwe and other major global producers like Brazil have triggered a massive global oversupply, subsequently depressing floor prices.
The “market saturation” has hit local farmers hard during the ongoing selling season, with some lower-quality leaf grades dropping to between US$0,50 per kg.
The price squeeze is further exacerbated by reduced purchasing volumes from major international buyers like China, which has significantly scaled back its seasonal intake.-herald
