Almot Maqolo, Staff Writer 
THE Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has reported a significant decrease in tobacco side marketing this season, attributed to stricter penalties and a new compliance framework.
Side marketing, a form of contract default where farmers sell to a different buyer than the one who provided inputs, is often driven by price and poor market conditions.
“Side marketing is coming down as a result of work done by all sectors of the industry. I think it’s probably below five percent now and, as we introduce new systems and technology, that will keep coming down,”TIMB chairperson Patrick Devenish said.
The drop comes despite a challenging farming season marked by an El Nino-induced drought, which is expected to lower tobacco production by at least 10 percent to 265 million kilogrammes in 2024.
Devenish also highlighted positive developments in value addition, citing new cigarette plants, nicotine extraction facilities, and cut rag processes.
He expressed optimism about reaching the 30 percent value addition target outlined in the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Strategy, stating, “There is a lot happening, and there is a lot of innovation going on. I don’t think by 2025, but it’s happening quickly. This is a hockey stick curve; it picks up at the end.”
Tobacco remains Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural export, generating US$1 billion to US$1,5 billion annually. newsdesk@fingaz.co.zw
