Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Revenue Hits US$1.16 Billion as Grain Surplus Looms

The Government of Zimbabwe has expressed confidence in the country’s agricultural performance for the 2024–2025 summer marketing season and the ongoing 2025 winter cropping cycle, with projections indicating a grain surplus of between 812,000 and 1.2 million metric tonnes.

In a Cabinet briefing this week, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development highlighted the progress made in grain marketing, input access, and crop diversification, all pointing to a strong agricultural rebound despite climate and economic pressures.

“The Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX) platform has continued to support agricultural trade, with over 7,500 metric tonnes of cereals, oilseeds, and pulses traded to date. The Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) is gaining traction, allowing farmers to store grain, access financing, and swap produce for inputs more efficiently.

To further improve farmers’ access to inputs, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has operationalised agro-shops at all 88 depots nationwide, where farmers can now purchase inputs using proceeds from grain sales or warehouse receipts.

The cotton industry has also seen a remarkable uptick. As of 24 July 2025, farmers had marketed 25.3 million kilogrammes of cotton, almost double the 13.3 million kilogrammes recorded in 2024,” said J. Muswere.

The crop has generated US$7.7 million, with six active contractors on the ground, most of whom are paying farmers in cash upon delivery.

Meanwhile, tobacco sales have reached record-breaking levels. As of the same date, 348.5 million kilogrammes had been sold, a significant increase from 228.9 million kilogrammes during the same period in 2024. The sales surge boosted revenue to over US$1.16 billion, up from US$785.3 million last year. Seed sales also increased by 46%, indicating a strong outlook for the 2025–2026 tobacco season, with a projected planted area of over 212,000 hectares.

For the 2025 winter season, government reports show that 122,897 hectares of wheat, 6,115 hectares of barley, and 4,708 hectares of potatoes have been planted. Authorities are closely monitoring productivity enablers, aiming to achieve a combined harvest of 875,000 metric tonnes from these key winter crops.