Online Reporter
Elita Chikwati
Agriculture News Editor
The curtain for Zimbabwe’s 2025 tobacco marketing season will officially come down on August 7, with stakeholders describing it as one of the most successful in the country’s history.All key stakeholders remain committed to building a tobacco industry that is not only productive, but also equitable, transparent and future-focused.
Focus is now being put on value addition and increased farmer participation in the value chain.
This 2025 marketing season will be remembered for recording the highest tobacco volumes ever produced in Zimbabwe, with farmers collectively earning over US$1,16 billion.
By day 97, farmers had sold 348,5 million kilogrammes of flue-cured tobacco valued at US$1,160 billion.
This marks a significant increase of 52 percent in volume compared to the 228,9 million kilogrammes worth US$785,279 million sold during the same period last year.
However, the highest price recorded this season stood at US$6,30 per kilogramme, slightly lower than last year’s peak of US$6,99 per kilogramme.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the industry was now seeing the fruition of the Tobacco Value Addition Transformation strategy started five years ago.
“Now tobacco farmers have mastered the production aspects — from yield to quality. The focus to 2030 is now on increasing productivity and value addition,” he said
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board chief executive, Mr Emmanuel Matsvaire, attributed the performance to improved agronomic practices, favourable weather conditions in key tobacco-growing regions, and increased adoption of sustainable farming techniques.
He said this year’s record-breaking volumes were a clear indication that Zimbabwean tobacco remained a vital economic pillar.
“Surpassing our volume and revenue targets is a testament to the resilience and hard work of our farmers and all stakeholders across the value chain.”
Despite the success, Mr Matsvaire said the industry was still faced with some challenges, particularly regarding self-financing.
“A significant number of growers remain dependent on merchant-controlled contract systems. While these arrangements have supported production growth, they also limit farmer autonomy and reduce their share of the final earnings.
“There is also need to ensure fairness and transparency in contract terms, improve access to affordable inputs and promote inclusive financing mechanisms that empower farmers to retain more value from their hard work,” he said.
Mr Matsvaire said it was important for stakeholders to now shift from just growing the crop to value addition and beneficiation.
“As we transition into the processing season, our collective focus must shift from merely growing and selling raw tobacco to adding value and processing locally.
“Zimbabwe has the capacity and the imperative to process more of its tobacco locally and export finished products such as cigarettes. This is how we create jobs, stimulate economic growth and build a sustainable future for the sector,” Mr Matsvaire said.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association (ZTGA) president, Mr George Seremwe, said the season was a success as the target was surpassed.
“We surpassed our projected volumes for the year, which is commendable. The quality of the crop was also good,” he said.
Mr Seremwe advised farmers to spread their sales more evenly throughout the season to avoid price drops that typically occur when large volumes flood the market towards the end of the season.
“Some farmers delayed selling their crops when buyers had already met their quotas, causing prices to dip. This is a reminder to manage timing better, starting with primings and ending with scraps when prices may not be as favourable,” he said.
Mr Seremwe expressed optimism for the 2026 season.
“We are hopeful that production costs will decrease and that farmers will gain better access to the value chain. We are working on inclusive programmes to ensure tobacco growers benefit more fully from their hard work,” he said.
