President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned a multimillion-dollar tobacco processing facility owned by businessman Simon Rudland that officials describe as the continent's largest such operation. The upgraded Cut Rag Processors plant can manufacture 12,000 cigarettes per minute and aims to transform Zimbabwe from a raw material exporter into a producer of finished tobacco goods.
General manager Lesley Malunga stated the expansion will generate employment across processing, packaging, logistics, and engineering sectors while supporting an industry that contributes over one-quarter of national foreign currency earnings. Zimbabwe recorded 355 million kilograms of tobacco production valued at 1.2 billion dollars, establishing its position as the sixth-largest global producer.
Authorities plan to increase value addition in the tobacco sector from two percent to above 30 percent through initiatives, including a special economic zone and Africa's inaugural nicotine extraction plant that converts waste into pharmaceutical-grade nicotine and organic fertilizer.
General manager Lesley Malunga stated the expansion will generate employment across processing, packaging, logistics, and engineering sectors while supporting an industry that contributes over one-quarter of national foreign currency earnings. Zimbabwe recorded 355 million kilograms of tobacco production valued at 1.2 billion dollars, establishing its position as the sixth-largest global producer.
Authorities plan to increase value addition in the tobacco sector from two percent to above 30 percent through initiatives, including a special economic zone and Africa's inaugural nicotine extraction plant that converts waste into pharmaceutical-grade nicotine and organic fertilizer.
