Zimbabwe’s 2025 tobacco marketing season closed on 7 August with farmers earning a record US$1.2 billion from 352.7 million kilogrammes of tobacco, far exceeding the 300 million kg target.
Data from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) shows around 11% of production was sold to China. TIMB chairman Patrick Devenish said strong global demand helped push up prices.
“The Chinese are our biggest customers and the demand for nicotine through the vaping business also had a good effect for us,” he told reporters.
The average price for 2025 was US$3.32 per kilogramme, slightly lower than last year’s US$3.43. Auction prices peaked at US$4.99/kg, while contract growers achieved highs of US$6.30/kg.
Lands and Agriculture Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri described the season as a milestone for the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan. He urged an increase in local value addition, which currently stands at 10.15%, towards the 30% target set under the National Development Strategy 1.
With 93% of production under contract farming, the government says it is refining the system and has proposed a US$50 million agriculture fund. Industry stakeholders are calling for greater local financing to reduce dependence on foreign currency and boost cigarette manufacturing, which currently produces 4 billion sticks annually against a 17 billion-stick capacity.
Zimbabwe, the world’s fifth-largest tobacco producer, has more than 140,000 active farmers.
