Business is smoking

There are welcome signs that
Zimbabwe's tobacco production is
starting to recover, says Graeme
Pattinson, general manager of Aqua
Shipping in Zimbabwe which is the
representative office of Aquarius
Shipping International.
He is one of a team of former
tobacco merchants who have joined
forces to become one of the biggest
shippers of tobacco out of Zimbabwe.
“The season started a month early
this year – which has not happened
for years. There are signs that
production will hit 80 million kgs
this season,” he says.
While well under the peak 200
million kgs a year mark, small-scale
contract farmers are returning to
the market with the support of the
industry, he says.
Aquarius has operations in South
Africa (Johannesburg and Durban),
Zimbabwe, Mozambique and
Malawi, as well as offices in London
and Antwerp.
The nature of the product and the
market demand the services of a
specialist agency, he believes.
The company handles the full
distribution/supply chain from the
processing factory in Zimbabwe
to delivery to the manufacturers
globally.
Aquarius controls the storage of
the leaf in bonded warehouses in
Durban , Johannesburg, Antwerp
and Beira until it is required by
the respective manufacturers who
will call for the cargo by way of a
shipping instruction.
In addition to tobacco ASI has
branched out and is now handling
various other commodities such as
copper, cotton and fertiliser.