ZIMBABWE
The Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) reported that Zimbabwe remains the top tobacco producer in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This can be attributed to the increase of farmers who have embraced cash crop farming over the years.
Isheunesu Moyo, TIMB public relations and communications manager, said, “Zimbabwe is the fourth largest producer of the tobacco leaf in the world after China, Brazil, and India. It is (however) the top producer in Africa. In 2017, we produced 188,9 million kilogrammes, Malawi 136 million kg, while Zambia produced 114 million with Mozambique producing 106 million kg and Tanzania 67 million kg respectively.”
This year, production is expected to increase to 200 million kg from last year’s 189 million kgr.
TIMB statistics indicate that there is a 44% increase of farmers who registered to grow tobacco from 82,305 last year to 118,142 this year.