Zimbabwe defends tobacco industry

The Government has defended Zimbabwe's tobacco industry ahead of the upcoming global anti-tobacco meetings, warning that international efforts to restrict production could have devastating effects on farmers and the economy.

Speaking at the T5 tobacco producers' meeting in Harare, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, said the agenda of the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) threatened the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in developing nations. The Conference of Parties (COP11) and Meeting of Parties (MOP4) are scheduled to take place in Geneva on November 17.

"Generally, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco and such other tobacco-focused meetings aim to ban tobacco production, jeopardising the livelihoods of millions of developing country farmers and causing untold economic downturn and suffering," said Dr Masuka. "Some of these countries, including Zimbabwe, depend heavily on tobacco for income and foreign currency generation."

Zimbabwe, a member of the T5 group of top tobacco-producing countries, achieved a record harvest of 355 million kilogrammes during the last marketing season. The crop generated US$1.2 billion in earnings for 135,000 growers, translating to an average of US$9,000 per farmer.

"It is remarkable that all T5 countries have registered volume and value growth in tobacco this past season," Dr Masuka said. "Zimbabwe achieved a record production of 355 million kilogrammes, the highest in our history. This growth trajectory is poised to continue under the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan, which aims for 500 million kilogrammes annually by 2030."

Tobacco remains Zimbabwe's most important agricultural export, contributing up to 10 percent of the country's agricultural GDP and reaching more than 60 international markets. Dr Masuka said the Government's vision is to transform the industry into a US$7 billion sector by 2030 through value addition, localised financing, and sustainable production.

"Zimbabwe aims to develop the tobacco marketing sector into a US$7 billion industry by 2030," he said. "The crop is our most widely exported agricultural product, and we must build on that foundation by adding value locally and ensuring traceability in our systems."

He added that the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan seeks to increase production, improve processing capacity, and enhance sustainability standards across the sector.

As the country prepares for the Geneva summit, Dr Masuka said Zimbabwe would continue to advocate for a fair and balanced approach to tobacco control—one that supports global health goals while safeguarding the economic survival of communities dependent on the crop.