Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
ZIMBABWE’s tobacco industry enters the 2026 marketing season following a record year that saw production and export earnings reach historic highs, reinforcing the crop’s central role in the country’s agricultural economy.
Auction floors are due to open in two days, with growers across Mashonaland Central and other tobacco-producing provinces preparing deliveries after a 2025 season that surpassed 290 million kilogrammes and generated more than US$1 billion in export receipts, the highest on record.
The expansion has been driven largely by smallholder participation under contract farming arrangements, reshaping a sector once dominated by large-scale commercial producers.
In Guruve, farmer Joshua Makore says he expects to harvest approximately 3,000 kilogrammes from a single hectare in his second year growing tobacco. He describes the shift from traditional crops such as beans and cotton as economically significant for his household.
“Tobacco farming has improved our returns. Compared to previous crops, we now have better market certainty,” he said.
New contracting firms are also entering the industry. Aqua Tobacco, formed less than a year ago, reports that it has contracted 1,000 smallholder and medium-scale farmers and is targeting 2 million kilogrammes for delivery to its off-taker, ILT.
Managing Director Cuthbert Chikovo says the company is providing inputs and logistical support as growers prepare their bales for auction.
Government officials attribute the sector’s sustained growth to increased access to finance, contract farming frameworks and expanded smallholder participation. Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Christopher Magomo, says communal farmers are now making a substantial contribution to national output.
“Tobacco grown by smallholder farmers is now a significant part of our agricultural production. The crop remains a major source of foreign currency and rural income,” he said.
Tobacco continues to anchor Zimbabwe’s export earnings, supporting thousands of households and contributing materially to GDP. However, analysts note that the sector faces longer-term considerations, including price volatility, sustainability pressures and the need for crop diversification.
As the 2026 selling season opens, attention will focus on whether Zimbabwe can maintain production levels amid evolving global market dynamics.
