A tobacco processing facility in Harare's Lochinvar industrial zone has finished construction and awaits its official opening ceremony, according to industry sources. The Cut Rag Processing plant represents a significant expansion of Zimbabwe's capacity to convert raw tobacco into manufactured cigarette ingredients, positioning the nation as a regional leader in value-added production.
Entrepreneur Simon Rudland developed the project as part of his business empire spanning transportation, manufacturing and agriculture across southern Africa. Government figures show producers sold more than 350 million kilograms of tobacco leaf through mid-2025, generating approximately $1.167 billion in revenue. Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board officials stated that current domestic processing converts only 10.5 percent of harvested leaf despite targets calling for 30 percent local beneficiation.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced plans to allocate nearly $2 billion over a decade through a productivity program targeting both commercial and smallholder growers. The completed facility will help address underutilized manufacturing capacity, with existing processors using just 7.3 million kilograms against a potential throughput of 30.4 million kilograms annually.
Entrepreneur Simon Rudland developed the project as part of his business empire spanning transportation, manufacturing and agriculture across southern Africa. Government figures show producers sold more than 350 million kilograms of tobacco leaf through mid-2025, generating approximately $1.167 billion in revenue. Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board officials stated that current domestic processing converts only 10.5 percent of harvested leaf despite targets calling for 30 percent local beneficiation.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced plans to allocate nearly $2 billion over a decade through a productivity program targeting both commercial and smallholder growers. The completed facility will help address underutilized manufacturing capacity, with existing processors using just 7.3 million kilograms against a potential throughput of 30.4 million kilograms annually.
