Zimbabwe’s 2025 tobacco marketing season has begun with high expectations for increased yield due to favorable rainfall. Chairman Patrick Devenish anticipates a significant crop rebound, with demand from China promising enhanced market opportunities. Tobacco remains critical for Zimbabwe’s agricultural export revenue.
Zimbabwe commenced its 2025 tobacco marketing season on March 6, with stakeholders expressing optimism for higher production levels this year, attributed to favorable rainfall conditions. The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board Chairman, Patrick Devenish, indicated a significant recovery from last year’s downturn due to an El Niño-induced drought.
Devenish projected a crop yield exceeding 280 million kilograms, significantly greater than the previous year’s production of over 240 million kilograms, which generated approximately 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in export earnings. The harvesting season traditionally spans from January to July in Zimbabwe.
With China being the largest consumer of Zimbabwe’s tobacco, the growing demand from this market is expected to further enhance the sector’s potential for this season. Devenish emphasized the importance of this relationship, stating, “Chinese are our biggest and best customer. They take our best tobacco, and they pay the top prices. We expect that to continue.”
Tobacco farming is mainly conducted by small-scale farmers and remains Zimbabwe’s leading agricultural export, significantly contributing to the country’s foreign currency earnings.
The 2025 tobacco marketing season in Zimbabwe holds promise for increased production due to favorable conditions, with expectations of yields surpassing last year’s output. The strong relationship with China as a key importer suggests positive economic impacts for Zimbabwe’s tobacco sector this year. Tobacco continues to be a vital agricultural export, reinforcing its importance to the nation’s economy.
Original Source: english.news.cn
