Zimpapers Logo

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter

TOBACCO growers’ registration for the 2017/18 summer cropping season has risen by 36 percent to 98 482 compared to 72 575 during the same period last year.

Latest statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) show that Mashonaland Central province had the highest number of registered tobacco growers so far increasing by 38 percent to 36 985.

On second spot was Mashonaland West, which recorded 32 806 reflecting a 24 percent increase from 26 395 recorded during the comparable period in the 2016/17 season.

Manicaland has so far registered 14 811 tobacco growers while Mashonaland East has registered 13  485 followed by the Midlands at 290. Masvingo and Matabeleland have so far registered 103 and two respectively.

TIMB indicated that of the 98 482 registered growers, 48 958 were communal farmers while 37 481 were A1 farmers. A2 farmers so far registered are 6 311 while small-scale commercial farmers are 5 732. Stakeholders in the tobacco sector have attributed the increaase in the number of tobacco growers to favourable prices the auction floors offered during this year’s marketing season. Since 2009, the number of tobacco growers in Zimbabwe has been improving and the upward trajectory was expected to continue in the 2017/18 and beyond.

The golden leaf has been pivotal in improving liquidity supply in the economy.

Meanwhile, tobacco exports since January this year have raked in $615.9 million from 135.6 million kilogrammes exported to different parts of the world at an average price of $4.54 a kg.

During the same period in 2016, tobacco exports generated $683.6 million from 125.7 million kg sold at an average of $5.44 a kg.

China which is the biggest consumer of flue-cured tobacco from Zimbabwe has so far spent $255.8 million importing 33 million kg of the golden leaf at an average price of $7.76 a kg. A total of 62 countries bought tobacco from Zimbabwe this year compared to 58 countries last year.

Georgia, Belgium, Indonesia, Seychelles, Spain, Morocco, Taiwan, United States of America, Indonesia, Romani, Zambia, Botswana, Germany, Lebanon and Nigeria are some of the countries buying Zimbabwean tobacco. – @okazunga