Zimbabwe Records Historic Tobacco Harvest As Minister Masuka Opens T5 Meeting

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Hon. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to tobacco production, describing it as a vital economic lifeline despite growing global pressure to limit the industry.

Officially opening the T5 Meeting in Harare on Wednesday, Minister Masuka welcomed international delegates and expressed hope that the deliberations would strengthen the position of tobacco-producing nations ahead of the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP11) and Meeting of Parties (MOP4) to be held in Geneva later this month.

T5 MeetingThe T5 group, comprising the world’s top five tobacco-producing countries, met to strategize on defending their shared interests amid what Masuka described as “a global lobby that seeks to ban tobacco production, jeopardising the livelihoods of millions of farmers in developing countries.”

Masuka revealed that Zimbabwe had achieved a record 355 million kilogrammes of tobacco in the 2024/25 season, the highest in the country’s history. The golden leaf earned farmers USD1.2 billion, with an average of USD9,000 per grower across 135,000 producers.

He noted that all T5 countries had registered both volume and value growth during the past season, a sign of resilience in the face of international pressure.

“Smoking is an adult choice. And for our economies, tobacco is a legal crop that should continue to be grown without any fear,” he said.

The Minister outlined Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan, which aims to grow annual production to 500 million kilogrammes by 2030, add value to 100 million kilogrammes, localise 50% of financing, and develop a USD7 billion industry within the next five years.

However, he acknowledged several challenges confronting the sector, including the WHO led anti smoking campaign, environmental concerns, stricter traceability requirements, and child labour accusations.

Masuka emphasised that the ongoing reforms and the T5’s coordinated approach were designed to counter these headwinds while ensuring sustainability, inclusivity, and economic growth.

The T5 Meeting, hosted in Harare, serves as a preparatory platform for coordinated positions ahead of COP11 and MOP4 in Geneva, Switzerland, set to begin on November 17.