Zimbabwe Turns to Industrial Cannabis Amid Falling Tobacco Demand

The tobacco industry in Zimbabwe is considering industrial cannabis as a new source of income, as global anti-tobacco sentiment is expected to reduce demand for one of the country’s largest export commodities in the future.

This was announced by Minwell Gudu, Executive Director of the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board of Zimbabwe. He expects global demand for cannabis to continue growing, while tobacco production could decrease by 15% as early as 2030.

“One of the alternative crops we are looking at is industrial cannabis,” he said. “And we want to be part of the industrial cannabis supply chain.”

According to Gudu, last year tobacco brought in $819 million for the country, with 145,000 tobacco farmers registered with the board. Authorities believe it is their duty to encourage farmers to switch to cannabis more actively, aiming for 25% of tobacco farmers’ income to come from cannabis by 2025.

“It’s a crop that requires a lot of attention to detail, just like tobacco, but we are confident that farmers have the necessary skills,” Gudu added.

Zorodzai Maroveke, founder of the Zimbabwe Industrial Cannabis Association, noted that last year Zimbabwean farmers exported about 30 tons of cannabis products to Switzerland, which has become something of a gateway to Europe for the country.

Maroveke’s association is now working closely with Gudu’s board to make the transition to cannabis as smooth as possible for Zimbabwean farmers. This partnership is expected to increase cannabis exports by another 20 tons in 2022, with plans to enter new markets in China and the European Union.

Previously, local experts pointed out that the low level of knowledge among Zimbabwean farmers about cannabis cultivation is one of the main factors holding back the local cannabis industry. If this issue is addressed, the country could achieve significant success-its climate allows for the production of high-quality cannabis for both recreational and medical markets.