The transplanting of irrigated tobacco crop for the 2025/26 farming season has intensified across the country, with growers having planted 20 867 hectares to date.
This represents an increase of 24 percent from the 16 873 hectares that had been planted during the same period last year.
According to the latest statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), as of October 10, Manicaland Province has the biggest area put under the irrigated crop, thus far.
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Farmers in the province have planted 8 507 hectares of tobacco, a 33 percent increase from 6 391 hectares planted during the same period last year.
In terms of the irrigated crop, farmers in Mashonaland East have expanded the area under irrigation, a 45 percent increase from 4 065 hectares during the 2025-2026 season.
Mashonaland West now has 3 667 hectares put under irrigated tobacco, representing a 1 percent increase from 3 664 hectares planted at the same stage last season.
Mashonaland Central is in fourth position, with 2 766 hectares of irrigated tobacco planted thus far this season, an increase by one percent from 2 733 hectares last season.
Midlands Province has seen a remarkable increase, with 40 hectares of tobacco planted this season, doubling from 20 hectares last season.
Farmers in Masvingo have planted 6 hectares of irrigated tobacco. Last season, no farmer had planted the crop under the irrigation model.
Irrigated tobacco planting is in full swing in most areas, while the planting of the rain-fed crop will begin from mid-October.
Meanwhile, flue-cured tobacco seed sales have increased to 1 441 200 grammes to date from 1 274 669 grammes sold over the same period last season.
Tobacco continues to be the main livelihood option for millions of smallholder farmers, an important source of income and rural employment and its production has expanded to previously non-growing regions like Matabeleland.
There has been an increase in the number of tobacco growers over the years due to the organised marketing system.
More than 90 percent of the growers are being funded under the contract system, an arrangement that some felt could shortchange them.
Government is, however, exploring ways to establish alternative domestic funding mechanisms for tobacco so that the country does not rely on offshore funding.
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Stakeholders have emphasised the need for innovative funding mechanisms to ensure sustainable growth and development, as well as increase value addition and beneficiation of the crop.
The Government proposed a fund of US$50 million to stimulate local financing for tobacco farmers.
