By Dickson Bandera
The inaugural Zimbabwe–China Tobacco Expo opened in the capital on Thursday, drawing major players across the global tobacco value chain for two days of exhibitions, trade discussions, and high-level dialogue aimed at deepening cooperation and unlocking new growth opportunities for Zimbabwe’s tobacco sector.
The event, which runs from 16 to 17 October 2025 at the Rainbow Towers Hotel and Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), seeks to strengthen trade relations between Zimbabwe and China while fostering innovation, investment, and sustainable production in one of Zimbabwe’s most lucrative export industries.
The Expo features a strong lineup of exhibitors, including the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), Premier Tobacco Auction Floors, Tobacco Sales Floor (TSF), Cavendish Lloyd, MTL, Tobbaco Company of Zimbabwe, Kutsaga, Norton Leaf Tobacco, Shasha Tobacco, Global Leaf Tobacco, Premier Leaf Zimbabwe, China Tobacco—also known as Tian Ze Tobacco Company—EcoCash, First Capital Bank, Seed Co, Hwange Colliery, the University of Zimbabwe, the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), Agrochemicals, among others.
Delegates also undertook field and factory tours on 15 October 2025 to gain firsthand insight into Zimbabwe’s tobacco production systems—from seedling to auction floor—underscoring the sector’s value chain potential.
The high-level business forum held on Thursday, 16 October 2025, was graced by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Hon. Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, senior government officials, representatives from China Tobacco International, and other stakeholders from across the globe. Discussions centered on advancing Zimbabwe’s tobacco value addition agenda, climate-smart farming, and enhancing export competitiveness.
Zimbabwe, the world’s sixth-largest producer of flue-cured tobacco, relies on the crop as one of its top foreign currency earners, contributing significantly to the agricultural GDP.
The country produces various types of tobacco, including flue-cured Virginia, Burley, and Oriental, grown predominantly in Mashonaland West, Central, and East provinces.
The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB), established under the Tobacco Marketing and Levy Act, plays a regulatory and developmental role—overseeing production, ensuring fair marketing practices, promoting value addition, and guiding growers through research and sustainability initiatives.
China has emerged as Zimbabwe’s largest tobacco buyer, importing hundreds of millions of kilograms annually. The relationship has also expanded into contract farming, capacity building, and infrastructure development.
Tian Ze Tobacco Company provides inputs, technical expertise, and guaranteed markets for local farmers amd links the country with China. This partnership has been instrumental in stabilizing production and improving earnings for growers.
With renewed energy around beneficiation, green technologies, and market diversification, the ZIM–China Tobacco Expo is expected to chart a new trajectory for Zimbabwe’s golden leaf—one that blends tradition, technology, and trade diplomacy for sustainable sectoral growth.
