Harare, (New Ziana) – As the tobacco marketing season reaches its peak, 48 firms have registered under the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) Contractors Compliance Administrative Framework for the 2025–2026 season.
The TIMB set March 31 this year as the deadline for both registered and prospective tobacco contractors to submit applications for licence renewals and new registrations.
The compliance framework is a compulsory agreement that all registered tobacco contractors should sign before the start of the contracting season to ensure the timely distribution of inputs while safeguarding growers from exploitation through substandard or overpriced supplies.
TIMB public affairs officer Chelesani Moyo on Wednesday told New Ziana that a decision is yet to be made on whether to extend the March 31 deadline.
“In Zimbabwe, our tobacco contractors are governed by compliance frameworks to ensure fair practices and adherence to legal standards, to maintain ethical practices, and ensure the industry’s sustainability. As TIMB, we gave all tobacco contractors for this marketing season a deadline to submit their compliance frameworks. At the moment, a committee is yet to compile the number of licence submissions and will review the applications to determine any extension for late applicants,” she said, adding that contractors who fail to renew their licences will not be permitted to operate during the season.
The framework incorporates the Agricultural Labour Practices (ALP) program, which promotes sustainable and traceable tobacco production by upholding international labour standards and advancing the elimination of child and forced labour.
It also outlines the Minimum Input Package, which guarantees that each contract includes a baseline of essential inputs, as well as the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which defines the rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees within the sector.
New Ziana
