adminThe Rhodesia Herald,
November 23, 1965
A WORLDWIDE tobacco marketing drive of unprecedented scale and intensity has been launched by merchant buying companies operating in Rhodesia in a determined effort to overcome sanctions by importing countries.
Their representatives and agents are now scattered throughout the world, seeking new outlets and making secret arrangements for the disposal of the coming Rhodesia crop.
This was disclosed in an interview in Salisbury yesterday by the head of one of the leading merchant houses in the country.
“I don’t want you to mention my name or my group’s name, for obvious reasons, but I think the public should know what we are doing,” he said.
“Rhodesia’s farmers have shown their courage by taking the plunge to grown a good crop. It is our business to dispose of that crop, and we will move heaven and earth to do so,” he said.
“I am leaving on a three-week tour abroad that will involve 30 000 miles of air travel, and, believe me, I will not return empty-handed. Many of my colleagues in the selling business have done, and are doing, the same. Naturally, to protect ourselves and our customers, we shall have to keep confidential our arrangements for getting rid of the crop, but rest assured, Rhodesian tobacco is going to flow through many unusual channels in the coming season.
“Wherever tobacco is sold in the world today, Rhodesian tobacco stands out for quality and price, and while a great deal of lip-service may be paid to the United Nations sanctions, there will be very little heart behind it.
“I have already heard of murmurings among regular buyers of Rhodesian tobacco that it is one thing to cry out sanctions in the United Nations when you have nothing to lose, but another for countries that depend on Rhodesia tobacco to have to bear the burden of applying those sanctions.
“Countries that want Rhodesian tobacco in preference to American or Canadian will get it, through the front door or the back. And the merchants will do everything possible to aid them.”
He said merchants were not underestimating the formidable odds against their effort, but they had succeeded in moving 203 million pounds of tobacco last year not bought by Britain, and another 134m. lb. this year, and while they did not expect prices to remain unchanged, they hoped to be able to move a greater proportion of the crop in the coming season than before.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Tobacco is a much sort after crop, which is used in the production of cigarettes. The tobacco industry is a multi-billion-dollar business that is responsible for employing millions of people.
Tobacco production in Zimbabwe has been growing since the pre-independence era and more so after the Government implemented the land reform programme, which saw production hitting record highs of 252 million kg in 2019.
This has seen the country being ranked the largest producer of tobacco in Africa and sixth globally and the Government is looking to turn tobacco farming into a $5bn industry by 2025.
Just as during the pre-independence era, the country’s tobacco remains in huge demand across the world due to its superior quality.
Online Reporter