Zambia’s tobacco sector earned more than US$130 million during the 2025/26 marketing season, with nearly 46,000 registered growers contributing to the sale of 69.2 million kilogrammes of tobacco, according to the Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ).
TBZ executive director Robert Mwale told journalists in Lusaka that flue-cured Virginia tobacco accounted for 87 percent of the total volume marketed while burley tobacco made up the remainder.
Mwale said the tobacco industry remains an important source of rural livelihoods and employment, supporting a range of economic activities involving farmers, transporters, input suppliers and processing companies.
The marketing season also attracted 15 licensed buyers, highlighting continued commercial interest in one of the country’s key cash crops.
Looking ahead to the next production season, he said the board would focus on implementing the Tobacco (General) Regulations 2026 and strengthening compliance across the sector.
The board is also intensifying efforts to prepare growers for climate-related risks, including the potential effects of El Niño weather conditions.
JN/APA