Zambia’s tobacco industry has generated more than US$104.9 million in cumulative sales by Week 11 of the 2025 marketing season, according to the Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ).
The revenue has largely been driven by strong sales of flue-cured Virginia tobacco, which continues to dominate the country’s tobacco market.
Figures released by the Board show that farmers sold a total of 51.96 million kilograms of tobacco during the period under review.
Of this volume, flue-cured Virginia tobacco accounted for 44.45 million kilograms sold at an average price of US$1.97 per kilogram, generating US$87.34 million in revenue.
Meanwhile, air-cured Burley tobacco recorded sales of 7.51 million kilograms at an average price of US$2.35 per kilogram, earning US$17.63 million.
The latest figures indicate that while Burley tobacco continues to attract higher prices on the market, Virginia tobacco remains the leading contributor to Zambia’s tobacco earnings due to its significantly larger production volumes.
The Tobacco Board of Zambia has described tobacco as the country’s “Green Gold,” citing its continued contribution to agricultural exports and rural household incomes.
