Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
TOBACCO farmers have welcomed confirmation by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board that the 2026 marketing season will officially open on March 4, raising expectations of another strong performance for Zimbabwe’s top agricultural export.
The announcement has set off a wave of activity across tobacco-growing regions, with farmers reaping, curing and baling their crop in preparation for the opening of auction floors next month.
From Glendale to Mazowe, growers are working to ensure their leaf meets strict grading standards, amid optimism that this year’s deliveries could rival last season’s record-breaking output.
At Satchel Farm in Glendale, farmer Earnest Musana said favourable conditions had boosted his confidence.
“This year, I expect to get a reasonable amount of money from my crop. To us tobacco farmers, the harvest will be good because although the rains were low for others, we grow the leaf and not the crop; I am on my fourth harvest,” he said.
The tobacco marketing season remains a key pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy, injecting vital foreign currency and sustaining thousands of households across rural communities.
Tawanda Gunja of Adura Farm in Concession said the opening of the floors would restore working capital for growers who have invested heavily throughout the production cycle.
“We had a good season and the rains came well. It is only the two weeks where we had a dry spell, but the season is pleasing. We are ready for the season. We are more than halfway through reaping, tobacco is in the sheds and it’s plenty. Opening of floors will help us to rush to the floors and add to our cash flow,” he said.
Last year, Zimbabwe generated US$1.17 billion from the sale of 353 million kilogrammes of tobacco — the highest output on record — cementing the country’s position as a major global producer.
With favourable weather conditions reported in most growing areas and farmers at advanced stages of reaping and curing, early indications suggest the 2026 marketing season could match or even surpass the previous milestone.
