To date, Zimbabwe has earned US$500 million from tobacco exports this season, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB).
In its latest bulletin, the TIMB said Zimbabwe had exported 97.3 million kilograms of tobacco at an average price of US$5.13 per kg – compared to 88.7 million kg worth US$471 million at U$5.31 per kg last year.
China imported 27.8 million kg of tobacco at an average price of US$8.24 per kg (totalling US$230 million). Belgium is the second largest buyer and has so far purchased 13.7 million kg (worth US$61.3 million) South Africa has, to date, imported 10.7 million kg (worth $32 million).
Tobacco has become one of the country's major foreign currency earners, with close to 92 000 farmers growing the crop for this season.
