Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry is poised for further growth as the government set a bold new production target of 400 million kilograms by 2028, under the National Development Strategy-2 (NDS-2) development blueprint.
The announcement comes on the back of record-breaking achievements in recent years. In 2025, the country harvested 355 million kilograms of tobacco, surpassing the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan (TVCTP) target of 300 million kilograms.
This represented a 51 percent increase from the previous year and generated more than US$1.2 billion in foreign exchange earnings, cementing tobacco’s role as Zimbabwe’s leading agricultural export.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Obert Jiri, confirmed that projections for the upcoming season remain strong, with 360 million kilograms expected to be harvested and sold when the tobacco marketing season opens on March 4.
“Over the past few years, our tobacco farmers have been doing well, and we are anticipating another record-breaking season. Under NDS-2, we set an ambitious target of producing 400 million kilograms by 2028.
“Farmers now have confidence in the sector, which has been stabilized through several government interventions and favourable rainfall patterns,” Jiri said.
Under the NDS-2, the government emphasized the role of smallholder farmers as the backbone of the industry. Their growing participation has been supported by targeted programs under the TVCTP, which aims not only to boost production but also to increase the economic value of the crop through local processing and value addition.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who officially launched NDS-2 late last year, underscored the importance of moving beyond raw exports.
“Tobacco production must evolve into a fully integrated value chain that creates jobs, supports rural livelihoods, and strengthens Zimbabwe’s position in global markets,” he said at the launch.
The new target reflects Zimbabwe’s determination to consolidate its position as one of the world’s leading tobacco producers.
With tobacco continuing to generate substantial foreign currency, the Government’s challenge will be balancing this success with diversification in agriculture to ensure long-term sustainability.
New Ziana
