Zimbabwe: Tobacco Exports for First Quarter Surge

Source from:  The Southern Times 04/14/2015

Zimbabwe's tobacco exports for the first quarter of 2015 have increased 117 percent compared to the same period last year owing to increased production of the crop and experience accrued by new farmers over the years.

Figures released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) show that the Southern African country exported 33, 2 million kilogrammes of tobacco valued at US$218, 1 million in the first three months of 2015 compared to 15, 3 million kg valued at $55, 9 million during the same period last year.

The crop was being sold at an average price of $7 per kg this year up from $4 per the same unit last year.

Tobacco remains Zimbabwe's top foreign currency earner in agriculture followed by sugar and cotton.

According to the TIMB, China is the top export destination of Zimbabwe's golden leaf taking up 19, 5 million kg valued at $167, 7 million at an average price of $8, 60 per kg.

South Africa, Russia, Mauritius, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Sudan, Paraguay and Belgium, follow China in that order as other export markets.

An official from the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZFCU) said more firms were venturing into tobacco contract farming. "In recent years we have witnessed a slight increase of companies contracting tobacco growers and those already in the business are also increasing their investment in the sector generally agreed as lucrative, and this is increasing yields," said the official.

"Growers are also increasing on the other hand or those already growing the crop are also increasing their hectarage resulting in increased production of the crop in the country."

TIMB statistics also showed that a total of 27 countries imported tobacco from Zimbabwe during the period under review down from 32 between January and March 2014.

Other export destinations on the list include Tanzania, Algeria, Zambia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Solomon Island and Egypt.

Tobacco farming is under threat from some countries, non-governmental organisations and activists who are intensifying the anti-tobacco campaign on health grounds.

If it succeeds, countries like Zimbabwe and others who produce the crop are likely to feel the heat. Enditem