Harare, (New Ziana) – More than 27 000 hectares of land have been put under tobacco for the 2025/26 summer cropping season, the regulator has said.

Transplanting of the dry land tobacco is currently ongoing in growing areas.

In a weekly update, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board said the area put under tobacco had risen to 27 215 hectares from 22 392 hectares during the same period last year. The board said this translates to a 22 percent increase in hectorage.

This comes amid revelation that a total of 82 965 tobacco growers beat the October 31 deadline and registered to grow the crop in the 2025-2026 season.

For growers to qualify for registration, they are required to provide proof of land access, such as title deeds or offer letters, a stamped recommendation letter from their local AGRITEX officer confirming that they are bona fide growers, a copy of their national identification card, and the prescribed registration fee.

The country is earmarking the sector to become a $7 billion industry by 2030.

During the 2025 marketing season, Zimbabwe recorded a 53 percent increase in tobacco production to 352.7 million, setting a record-breaking yield in the history of the country’s tobacco industry.

At least US$1.2 billion was realized from the sale of the golden leaf.

For 2025/2026, Zimbabwe projects 360 million kilogrammes.

The government has since set a target for the country to produce 500 million kilogrammes of tobacco by 2028 in order to meet global demand and fulfil the local value addition drive.

This growth course is expected to continue under the Government’s Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan, which aims to increase production to 500 million kilogrammes annually by 2030.

The transformation plan also targets value addition and beneficiation of 100 million kilogrammes of tobacco by 2030.

Tobacco is Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural export and a major foreign currency earner, cultivated primarily by smallholder farmers.

New Ziana