Theseus Mauruki Shambare in VICTORIA FALLS
ZIMBABWE could achieve a US$7 billion tobacco industry ahead of the 2030 target, with the Government noting that the benefits of this transformation are already evident in scientific innovation, increased productivity, sustainable production and local value addition.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said the ambitious target would be driven by improved yields, reduced post-harvest losses and increased domestic processing rather than expansion of land under tobacco cultivation.
Addressing delegates at the ongoing 70th Congress of the Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA) in Victoria Falls yesterday, Dr Masuka said Zimbabwe needed to retain more value from its tobacco through local manufacturing.
“The 2030 target of US$7 billion is already being felt. I hope you are also feeling it,” he said.
Zimbabwe is targeting annual tobacco production of 500 million kilogrammes by 2030, up from about 358 million kilogrammes produced in 2026.
Dr Masuka said increasing output alone would not be sufficient to achieve the target.
He said there was need to boost productivity and minimise losses along the value chain.
“The increase must not come from area expansion. It must come from yield growth, yield per hectare, but also must come from post-harvest loss reduction,” he said.
Zimbabwe currently earns about US$1,2 billion annually from exports of semi-processed tobacco, supporting close to two million people through direct and indirect employment.
Dr Masuka said the country should build on its established export market while expanding local processing and manufacturing to capture a greater share of the value generated by the crop. “We are not saying we should stop exporting tobacco. But we must begin to add value. We must be able to manufacture our own cigarettes and other tobacco products, including shisha,” he said.
Minister Masuka said smallholder farmers remained central to the sector, accounting for about 95 percent of growers and producing approximately 85 percent of the country’s tobacco.
He said investment in research and development was critical to improving yields, with research stations recording potential yields of up to five tonnes per hectare, against the need to close the productivity gap on farmers’ fields.
The Government is also seeking to make tobacco production more environmentally sustainable, with a policy direction to move away from the use of indigenous firewood for tobacco curing by 2027.
Dr Masuka said alternative curing technologies, including rocket barns, could reduce dependence on firewood while maintaining production efficiency.
Meanwhile, CORESTA president Ms Helena Digard said the organisation’s 70-year history demonstrated the importance of international scientific collaboration in addressing challenges facing the tobacco sector.
“The need for trusted science and meaningful collaboration remains unchanged. Indeed, it has never been more important,” she said.
She said the future of scientific research depended on partnerships, knowledge-sharing and the willingness of researchers to challenge existing approaches.
“The future of science is not built by individuals working alone; it is built by communities working together,” she said.
Kutsaga Research Board chairperson Mr Aaron Denenga said the congress had attracted more than 330 delegates from 30 countries, providing Zimbabwe with an opportunity to showcase its research capacity and engage with international experts.
“This is something major for Zimbabwe. It has been 63 years since such a Congress has been held in this country,” he said.
Held under the theme “Science for Sustainability and Harm Reduction in the Transforming Tobacco Landscape”, the congress brings together scientists, researchers and industry leaders to exchange knowledge on research, technology, product characterisation, agricultural practices and sustainable tobacco production.
