Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE is on course to shatter its tobacco production record for the third consecutive marketing season, with deliveries just days away from surpassing last year’s historic 359 million kg as the 2025/26 selling season enters its final stages.
Latest Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) figures show that 354 100 747 kg of tobacco had been marketed by Day 95 of the season, exceeding the 347 731 632kg sold over the same period last year.
With the marketing season officially closing on July 31 and mop-up sales continuing into early August, industry players expect the country to comfortably eclipse last year’s final output of 359 million kg, the highest ever recorded in Zimbabwe’s history.
The anticipated record extends Zimbabwe’s remarkable recovery from the 2024 El Niño-induced drought, which saw production fall to about 234 million kg, before rebounding to successive record-breaking figures.
The latest production figures also underscore the growing role of smallholder farmers in the sector.
About 85 percent of the crop was produced by smallholder farmers, the majority of whom are beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme, highlighting the sector’s transformation over the past two decades.
Of the tobacco marketed so far, 323,8 million kg were sold under contract farming arrangements, while 30,2 million kg went through the auction system.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said while the record harvest was a major milestone, the country’s focus was now shifting towards extracting greater value from the crop.
“This historic achievement is clear evidence that the agricultural transformation agenda under the National Development Strategy 2 is bearing fruit,” he said.
“However, our ambition goes beyond producing more tobacco.
“We must ensure that Zimbabwe captures greater value from its crop through increased value addition, local financing and deeper participation across the entire tobacco value chain.”
Prof Jiri said the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan (2026-2030) seeks to transform the sector into a US$7 billion industry by increasing production, expanding local processing and strengthening domestic financing.
TIMB chief executive officer Mr Emmanuel Matsvaire said the marketing season was now winding down after growers were given an opportunity to deliver their remaining tobacco.
“All auction floors will officially close on Friday, 31 July 2026. Mop-up sales will be conducted on 5 and 6 August 2026. Contract sales will continue until individual contractors have completed receiving tobacco deliveries from their contracted growers,” he said.
Kutsaga Research chief executive Dr Frank Magama attributed the record crop to coordinated investments in agricultural research, technology and farmer support.
