TIMB confident of successful 2023/24 season

Audrey Galawu

The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board said it is confident of another successful season after experiencing a record crop yield for the 2023/2024 season with 136 000 hectares already planted.

Zimbabwe experienced a substantial increase in tobacco exports in the past season with a record of US$1.23 billion in revenue.

A total of 236 112 887 kgs were exported at an average price of US$5.24/kg.

The Far East contributed US$785.4 million to the total revenue importing 110 275 071 kg.

Stakeholders in the industry aim to increase tobacco output to 300 million kg by 2025.

Last season saw a significant rise in tobacco farmers, recording 296.1 million kg worth US$896 million.

TIMB has revealed that a total of 103 652 hectares have been planted for tobacco compared to 108 897 in the last season representing a 5% decrease.

The board also revealed that a total of 39 952 hectares were planted in Mashonaland West with 36 223 planted on dryland while 3 729 was on irrigated area which represents 7% decrease from last season.

Mashonaland Central has a 12% decrease with a total of 24 492 hectares compared to last season which has 27 963hactares. In the province, 21 575ha of the planted area is dryland compared to 2 917 irrigated areas.

Manicaland has 19 795 hectares, 14 695 which is dryland and 5 100 irrigated.

Mashonaland East has a 13% increase with a total of 19 100 ha compared to 16 902 ha area planted last season, with 11 674 dryland and 7 426 irrigated areas.

Masvingo has a 26% decrease in the total area planted which is 17ha compared to 23 ha in the last season.