Zimbabwe: Preparation for Growing Season on Track

The
Zimbabwean
tobacco
industry
is
increasingly
confident
it
will
achieve
300
million
kg
in
the
2024–2025
season,
reports The
Herald.

In
a
statement
on
Oct.
10,
Tobacco
Industry
and
Marketing
Board
Public
Affairs
Officer
Chelesani
Tsarwe
said
preparations
for
the
upcoming
growing
season
were
progressing
well,
with
most
farmers
expressing
optimism
about
the
cropping
period.

With
consistent
rainfall
and
moderate
temperatures
expected,
farmers
are
better
positioned
to
maximize
their
outputs
than
they
were
in
the
most
recent
growing
season.

“We
are
optimistic
about
achieving
the
set
target,
thanks
to
the
favorable
weather
forecast,”
said
Tsarwe.

Despite
the
drought
caused
by
El
Nino,
tobacco
fared
relatively
well
last
year.
The
yield
decreased
by
20
percent
from
the
previous
season,
reaching
about
231
million
kg
in
2023.

As
of
Oct.
4,
2024,
Zimbabwe
had
exported
159.43
million
kg
of
tobacco
valued
at
$833.99
million
compared
to
143.23
million
kg
during
the
same
period
last
year.

“The
average
export
price
this
year
stands
at
$5.23,
marking
an
increase
from
$4.99
recorded
during
the
same
period
last
year,”
said
Tsarwe.

Last
year,
the
country
earned
$1.3
billion
from
tobacco
exports,
up
30
percent
over
2022.

Eager
to capture
more
value from
the
tobacco
business,
the
government
wants
Zimbabwe
to
boost
leaf
output
and
move
into
value-added
activities
such
as
cigarette
manufacturing.