Fuente: Tobacco Reporter Lugar: Agriculture & Sustainability As Zimbabwe prepares for the March 4 opening of the 2026 tobacco marketing season, growers are urging authorities to review the 70:30 foreign currency retention policy, arguing that receiving 30% of payments in local currency (ZiG) erodes profits as most production costs are pegged in U.S. dollars. Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association chairman George Seremwe said farmers are ready for the season but want the policy aligned with input costs, while Tobacco Farmers Union Trust president Edward Dune noted that fertilizers and other inputs are sold in foreign currency, reducing the real value of local currency payments. The marketing season, announced by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), will coincide with the launch of the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan 2, which targets 500 million kg annually by 2030, with more than 400 million kg expected this year.



TIMB said it has licensed 48 contractors and 46 Class A buyers for the 2025/26 season, with three auction floors — Tobacco Sales Floor, Premier Tobacco Auction Floors and Ethical Sales Floor — set to operate. Authorities are also cracking down on side marketing and informal buyers offering low prices, while farmer groups including the Zimbabwe National Farmers Union have urged growers to sell through formal channels to secure better returns. With 113,327 registered growers and a 15% increase in planted hectarage, officials say the 2026 crop outlook remains positive, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s position as Africa’s leading tobacco producer.The post Zimbabwe Tobacco Farmers Want Forex Review as Season Approaches first appeared on Tobacco Reporter.