Zimbabwe has recorded a 28,27% increase in tobacco planting for the 2026/27 summer cropping season, up from 17,87% planted during the comparative period in 2025/2026.
Statistics from the Agricultural Development Advisory Services (ADAS) show that 22 918 hectares had been planted by 30 October 2026, compared to 17 864 hectares during the same period last season.
The increase comes against a 36% decline in tobacco seed released by Kutsaga (Tobacco Research Board), with 926 330 grammes released by 30 October, enough to cover 185 266 hectares, compared to 1 443 595 grammes, equivalent to 288 719 hectares, during the corresponding period in 2025.
Kutsaga attributed the decline to viability challenges among farmers following lower tobacco prices during the previous marketing season.
“There are viability challenges among farmers due to lower tobacco prices during the 2025 marketing season, coupled with reduced contracting by tobacco merchants in anticipation of an El Niño-induced drought during the 2026/27 season,” the board said.
It clarified that the lower seed uptake was not necessarily indicative of a decline in the forthcoming crop, considering that only 164 536 hectares were planted in 2025 despite substantially higher seed releases.
The Board said current seed sales, together with stocks carried over from the previous season, were sufficient to ease concerns over a possible reduction in tobacco hectarage.
Meanwhile, irrigation is playing an increasingly important role in sustaining tobacco production, with 87,25% of the current crop planted under irrigation, compared to 54% during the previous season.
Dryland tobacco accounted for 12,74% of the planted area, reflecting farmers’ growing reliance on irrigation to mitigate the risks associated with unpredictable rainfall.
The sector has also recorded an increase in registered growers, with the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) registering 93 872 farmers for the 2026/27 season, up 12% from 82 965 during the corresponding period last season.
In the meantime, TIMB is said to be working on measures to address price disparities between the contract and auction floors and strengthen transparency in the tobacco marketing system.
TIMB Board Chairperson, Patrick Davenish said the Board had proposed a compliance and monitoring framework covering the publication of tobacco prices and grade differentials, buyer participation, rejection rates and enforcement of minimum buying volumes.
“This framework will also address transparency in surrogate buying arrangements and encourage the participation of additional international buyers to improve competition and protect growers’ interests,” he explained.
Davenish said weather-related risks, including the projected El Niño conditions and hailstorms, remained potential threats to production during the current season.
The developments come as Government and industry stakeholders continue working to strengthen tobacco production, improve farmer viability and promote climate-resilient agricultural practices to sustain the crop’s contribution to export earnings and economic growth.
