By Parvel H. Makona
The Government has defended its tobacco industry as it prepares to participate in the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP11) and Meeting of Parties (MOP4) in Geneva starting November 17 which focus on tobacco control under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
In a key address at the T5 meeting in Harare, Minister of lands, Agriculture, fisheries, water and rural development Anxious Masuka highlighted concerns that international efforts to ban tobacco production could severely impact the livelihoods of millions of farmers in developing countries dependent on the crop for income and foreign currency.
“Generally, the WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco (FCTC) 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 as some of the countries have very heavy dependency on tobacco for their income and foreign currency generation,” said Masuka
Zimbabwe, a member of the T5 group of leading tobacco-producing countries recorded a historic 355 million kilogrammes of tobacco during the past season generating USD1.2 billion for 135 000 farmers with an average earning of USD9 000 each.
“It is remarkable that all T5 countries have registered volume and value growth in tobacco this past summer season. Zimbabwe achieved a record production of 355 million kilogrammes, the highest in history.
“Farmers earned USD1.2 billion, with each of the 135,000 growers grossing USD9,000. This growth trajectory is poised to continue under the Government’s Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan which focusses on Increasing production to 500 million kg annually by 2030 using factor production principles. In 2025/2026 we project 360 million among many others,” he added.
Tobacco accounts for up to 10% of Zimbabwe’s agricultural GDP and remains the country’s most widely exported agricultural product.
He also said Zimbabwe aims to develop the tobacco marketing to a USD 7 billion industry by 2030 as tobacco contributes up to 10% of agricultural GDP.
“Zimbabwe aims to develop the tobacco marketing to a USD 7 billion industry by 2030. Tobacco contributes up to 10% of agricultural GDP and is the most widely exported Zimbabwean product, finding its use in over 60 export destinations,” said Masuka.
Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan aims to increase annual production to 500 million kilograms by 2030 add value to 100 million kilograms, localise 50% of crop financing and improve traceability and sustainability within the sector.
