Tobacco in Zimbabwe
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History of tobacco production
Tobacco was grown in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) even before the arrival of the British in the country in 1880. This was mostly done for subsistence purposes only. It was the European settlers who introduced large-scale tobacco farming and globalised tobacco trade in the late 19th Century. Three types of tobacco have traditionally been grown in the country: Virginia flue-cured, burley and oriental tobacco. Flue cured tobacco constitutes over 95% of Zimbabwe’s tobacco yield while burley constitutes about 4%. Tobacco farming in Zimbabwe flourished since the lands were well watered and fertile and the climate is favourable. Also, increasing global demand encouraged commercial production. Tobacco rose to become a major export in Zimbabwe in the 1990s when the manufacturing sector began to decline. It accounts for about 60% of the total agricultural exports of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has since been Africa’s leading producer and exporter of tobacco and its products.
Climate
Zimbabwe produces high flavor tobacco used for blending in many cigarette brands across the world. The key strengths for production of flavour leaf in Zimbabwe are a unique climate for tobacco growing, a rich agronomy heritage and a passion for the crop amongst growers. Amazingly, from the slow growing eastern highlands to the fast growing western provinces the country hosts varied climatic conditions correspondingly perfect for the different tobacco style requirements of the eastern Asia and the Western Europe leaf export markets.
