China top tobacco buyers list
Monday, 03 December 2012 00:00
Agriculture Reporter
China has continued to top the tobacco buyers’ list since last year with 52,
8 million kilogrammes so far exported to the world’s largest market. Last
year during the same period, according to the Tobacco
Industry and Marketing Board, China had bought 51, 3 million kg of tobacco
from Zimbabwe.
This year China is buying the golden leaf at US$8,83 per kilogramme, an
increase from last season’s price of US$7,27/kg.
Of the US$725 million raked in from tobacco exports this season, China has
spent US$466 million.
Latest statistics from TIMB show that China is offering the highest price
followed by India offering U$7,62/kg, Argentina and Chile US$7,30/kg while
Taiwan is offering US$7,12/kg.
In Africa, South Africa remains the major buyer for Zimbabwean tobacco
spending US$35,8 million.
TIMB chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri recently said 40 percent of Zimbabwe’s
tobacco was exported to China.
He said that the country last year exported 57 million-kg of the golden leaf
to there as its tobacco continued to be in demand the world over.
Zimbabwean tobacco was popular because of its good smoking flavour and very
few cigarette brands globally were made without Zimbabwean components. He
also attributed the good quality to the producers’ high production skills
complemented by the good climate, soils and techniques.
Tobacco last year accounted for 26 percent of the country’s total foreign
currency earnings.
China and Zimbabwe’s trade in tobacco dates back to the 1980s when the
Chinese developed an interest in the pale to lemon coloured tobacco produced
mostly under irrigation in the Highveld areas of Marondera, Wedza, Beatrice
and Harare South.The last 10 years saw a major shift in China’s import
patterns as the Asian giant broadened its scope to include all quality
tobacco that is produced in Zimbabwe.