Tobacco growers surge ahead of 2024/25 Season

THE number of registered tobacco growers for the 2024/25 summer cropping season has jumped to 126 477 from 113 161 during the same period last year.

Latest statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) indicate that Mashonaland Central Province had the highest number of registered growers for the season so far at 45 886 against 42 146 in the corresponding period last year.

The growers are in communal, A1, and small-scale commercial sub-sectors.

In second spot was Mashonaland West Province with 43 683 registered growers, up from 40 154 in the comparable period last year.

As at January 10, 2024, Manicaland Province had recorded 20 179 from 16 859 in the same period last year while Mashonaland East Province registered a 20 percent increase to 16 471 from 13 764 growers in 2024.

The number of growers in the Midlands Province as at January 10, 2025 improved to 172 from 148 while Masvingo Province recorded a 2 percent decrease to 84 growers from 86 in the corresponding period last year.

In Matabeleland, the number of growers remained flat at two.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s tobacco exports earnings increased by 16,6 percent to US$1,4 billion from 243,3 million kilogrammes exported last year.

In 2023, the country raked in US$1,2 billion from 235,4 million kg of the golden leaf exported around the globe.

Tobacco is the country’s second major foreign currency earner after gold predominantly cultivated by smallholder farmers who were allocated land under the Land Reform programme Zimbabwe embarked on in 2000.

According to TIMB, which regulates the production and marketing of tobacco produced in the country, Zimbabwe exports the golden leaf to over 60 countries with major consumers being China, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Indonesia.

“A total of 243,3 million kg of tobacco valued at US$1,4 billion had been exported as of December 27, 2024 as compared to 235,4 million kg valued at US$1,2 billion exported during the same period last year,” it said in a recent written response to this publication.-ebsinesweekl

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