Online Reporter
Patience Maturure
Agriculture Reporter
Tobacco exports have generated US$633,6 million from the sale of 116 760 745 million kilogrammes at an average price of US$5,43 per kg for January to September 5, 2025.
According to the latest figures from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board’s weekly report, the major buyers of the tobacco were countries from the Far East, which accounted for 50,1 million kg worth US$341 million at an average price of US$6,80 per kilogramme.
Africa is in second position after buying 2,1 million kg of tobacco valued at US$ 100,9 million at an average price of US$4,51 per kg.
The European union imported 16 million kg of tobacco from Zimbabwe, worth US$90,3 million at an average price of US$5,62 per kg.
In fourth position is the Middle East, which bought 17, 8 million kg of tobacco worth US$55 million at an average price of US$3,08 per kg.
About 5,6 million kg of semi-processed tobacco were bought in European markets, earning US$27,7 million at US$4,92 per kg, while the Americas bought 4,5 million kg valued at US$18,3 million at an average price of US$3,99 per kg.
Zimbabwe exported 28 560kg of the crop worth US$241 332 at an average price of US$8,45 per kg to Oceania.
Comparative data from the previous year shows 133 million kg of tobacco valued at US$701,1million had been sold at an average price of US$5,27 per kg over the same period.
Zimbabwean tobacco is popular at the international market because of its flavour.
The Government and the private sector are working towards increasing local processing of tobacco to boost income.
Zimbabwe achieved a record tobacco output in its 2025 marketing season, after farmers sold 352,7 million kilograms worth US$1,2 billion by early August 2025.
This significant increase of 53 percent from the previous year’s harvest highlights the crop’s importance as the country’s top foreign currency earner, driven largely by smallholder farmers.
However, experts caution that this success looks fragile in the face of climate change risks, emphasising the need for investment in irrigation and sustainable practices to ensure future harvests are not impacted by weather shocks.
Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry is mitigating climate risks by transitioning from firewood-based curing to gas-powered systems to reduce deforestation, promoting irrigation to lessen reliance on rainfall, and implementing climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices like soil health management and drought-tolerant seeds to build resilience and sustainability.
