Online Reporter
Agriculture Reporter
At least 401 705 kilogrammes (kg) of shisha tobacco worth US$13 million have gone under the hammer since the marketing season opened, as the demand for the variety continues to increase on the global market.
Shisha is a type of combustible tobacco that is different from traditional flue-cured Virginia tobacco.
Shisha is smoked using a hookah or water pipe.
In Zimbabwe, Cavendish Lloyd Tobacco was licensed by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) to support local production of the Shisha tobacco.
According to the TIMB latest statistics 400 705 kg worth US$ 1,342 million have been sold so far at an average price of US$3,35 per kg.
The statistics also show that 5 235 bales have been laid and of these 4720 were sold while 515 bales were rejected for different reasons.
The highest price offered this season for shisha tobacco is US$5,75 per kg and the lowest price has been pegged at US$ 0,10 per kg.
The TIMB has revealed that there has been a growing interest and investment in shisha tobacco production in Zimbabwe.
In 2023, Zimbabwe produced 101 600kg of shisha tobacco and increased to 399 400kg in 2024.
This season, about 650 000kg of shisha tobacco are expected.
These figures show that there is a definite potential for shisha tobacco farming in Zimbabwe and it will positively impact the sector.
Shisha tobacco is grown the same way as traditional Virginia tobacco, with minor differences in agronomy.
It uses low amounts of fertiliser and it is not topped (apical bud removal) to minimise nicotine amounts in the leaf.
The crop is reaped when the leaves have completely lost all the nitrogen and have fully ripened.
Shisha tobacco is cured using the same flue-curing barns, temperature and humidity regimes for the Virginia flue-cured tobacco and it takes four to five days to complete curing.
Compared to flue-cured tobacco, shisha tobacco is easier to grow.
