Tobacco farmers enjoy huge profits
ZIMBABWE’S tobacco farmers are celebrating a profitable start to the 2025 marketing season, having already earned more than US$220 million since the floors opened in March.
More than 64 million kilogrammes of tobacco have so far been sold at auction and contract floors.
For the first time, 33% of tobacco sales have been recorded outside Harare, following the decentralisation of selling points.
“We have taken a deliberate policy to adopt the devolution agenda and the decentralisation policy is working well,” Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) acting chief executive Emmanuel Matsvaire said.
Matsvaire said the current season had witnessed impressive prices, even for primings, low-grade tobacco leaves.
Very few bales have been rejected since the tobacco marketing season kicked off last month, pointing to improved quality and grading practices among farmers.
TIMB has introduced a biometric system to eliminate side marketing where farmers breach contractual agreements and sell outside the formal system.
The new biometric system captures farmers’ unique grower numbers, linking them to their fingerprints, GPS co-ordinates, and demographic data.
The profiling is meant to ensure that only genuine farmers participate in the market, reducing the risk of fraud and side marketing.
“We want to make sure that the tobacco sector becomes a fair and transparent industry where farmers are happy and desist from side marketing. This new system is expected to play a crucial role,” Matsvaire said.
Tobacco farming is a significant contributor to Zimbabwe’s economy, with the sector supporting more than two million people and generating substantial foreign currency.
Zimbabwe is projected to reach around 280 million kilogrammes in total sales this season, with optimistic forecasts suggesting that the country can surpass the 300 million-kilogramme mark.
The country’s tobacco export earnings hit a record US$1,3 billion in 2024, marking a second consecutive year above US$1 billion.
The achievement follows US$1,2 billion earned in 2023, despite challenges emanating from El Niño-induced drought.
The tobacco industry remains a vital contributor to Zimbabwe’s economy, ranking behind gold.-newsda
