According to the Herald, Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) statistics show that Zimbabwe’s commercial shisha tobacco production increased by 270% this quarter to 407 hectares.
Last year, 101,559 kilograms of hookah were sold at an average price of $3.15 per kilogram, reaching a high price of $5.40 per kilogram.
Currently, Cavendish Lloyd is the only registered and licensed shisha manufacturer in TIMB.
Cavendish Lloyd chief executive Tinashe Mukadzambo said: “Farmers planted 407 hectares, less than the 500 hectares planned for this season, given the impact of the dire El Niño weather pattern. In our first commercial season last year, we 110 hectares were harvested from 10 commercial growers."
Mukadzambo said in addition to the 10 commercial growers, more commercial, semi-commercial and small-scale growers have been added this year.
