Story by Owen Mandovha
OBACCO farmers are welcoming a strong recovery in auction prices after a difficult start to the 2026 marketing season, with improved returns restoring confidence across the sector.
The season opened with low prices at both auction and contract floors, leaving many growers struggling to recover production costs. However, prices have since rebounded, offering farmers renewed optimism ahead of the next planting season.
Farmers say the turnaround has enabled them to recover their investments and plan for future production.
“We are now happy that the prices have recovered at the auction floors and we can now go back to the field next year,” said one farmer.
“This is good, and things have changed dramatically, and I am quite happy as compared to when the season started,” said another grower.
Another farmer, who had delayed selling in anticipation of better prices, said the market had exceeded expectations.
“I never expected to witness these prices because I had stored my tobacco so that I could sell next season but was forced to sell now,” he said.
Industry players attributed the weak prices recorded at the beginning of the season to expectations of an oversupply, which initially discouraged buyers from participating at auction floors.
Chevron Tobacco Director, Mr Tapiwa Masedza, said demand had strengthened after production estimates proved lower than anticipated.
“There was a general feeling that there was a lot of tobacco in the market and the estimates have proved otherwise, so there is a situation whereby merchants are now going back to the market to satisfy their orders,” he said.
Premier Tobacco Auction Floors Manager, Mr Sam Garagba, said increased buyer participation had driven the price recovery.
“There are now a lot of buyers at the auction floors compared to when the season started, and we have seen prices firming up as a result. Farmers are saying the situation has now drastically improved compared to when the season started,” he said.
More than 340 million kilogrammes of tobacco have so far been delivered to both contract and auction floors, with the 2026 marketing season on course to surpass last year’s record of 355 million kilogrammes.
