Let’s start to rethink on tobacco

PLANS by government to create the foundation to force those involved in the tobacco industry to value-add the country’s major agricultural export are most welcome and commendable.

According to Agriculture minister Anxious Masoka, government wants to “ensure that there is more value-addition and beneficiation of tobacco” because the country is exporting 98% of its “tobacco in raw form, thereby exporting jobs and value”.

While we are in agreement that Zimbabwe is obviously losing billions of dollars by exporting the golden leaf raw, we would like to advise government to, meanwhile, look and plan ahead given the current spirited onslaught to completely ban tobacco from the planet.

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