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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 40762, member: 636"] Zimbabwe earned $381 million from tobacco exports as the country continues building value-added processing facilities. The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board reported that farmers sold 62.3 million kilograms of semi-processed leaf to buyers worldwide. Far East countries bought the largest quantities and paid the highest prices for Zimbabwean tobacco products. These Asian markets purchased 34.8 million kilograms worth $269.6 million at $7.75 per kilogram average prices. European Union countries imported 5 million kilograms valued at $27 million during the same trading period. African nations bought 11.9 million kilograms worth $52.5 million at $4.39 per kilogram from local tobacco producers. Middle East countries purchased 7.1 million kilograms valued at $21.9 million at $3.09 per kilogram average rates. Americas region imported 2.5 million kilograms worth $7.6 million at $2.98 per kilogram from Zimbabwe. Europe bought 735,000 kilograms valued at $18 million at $2.40 per kilogram during recent sales. Oceania purchased 28,560 kilograms worth $241,332 at the highest rate of $8.45 per kilogram. Zimbabwe ranks among the top five global producers of flue-cured tobacco with distinctive flavor characteristics. The tobacco industry employs over 1.2 million workers and supports six million family dependents across rural communities. Government and private companies target increasing value addition from 2 percent to 30 percent of total production. Ten cigarette manufacturers operate with combined capacity of 4.4 billion sticks annually across the country. Current value addition reaches 10.15 percent toward the ambitious 2025 processing goals. [/QUOTE]

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