As the first rays of sunlight pierce through the dry plains of Marula, a small settlement between Bulawayo and Plumtree, a transparent barn almost glows with trapped heat from the Matabeleland sun.
Inside, rows of golden tobacco leaves hang or lie carefully, curing without firewood, coal, or electricity, but using solar.
Previously, tobacco farming in these parts of Zimbabwe was considered almost impossible.
Erratic rainfall, chronic water shortages, and the high costs of conventional curing systems had long excluded most Matabeleland farmers from participating in Zimbabwe’s most lucrative agricultural export, historically dominated by Mashonaland provinces.
Now, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) is reintroducing tobacco farming to Matabeleland using natural cured virginia (NCV) and burley tobacco varieties.
The curing structure within the Marula barn uses solar-generated heat and controlled air circulation to cure tobacco naturally without relying on firewood or coal, significantly reducing curing costs and limiting deforestation.
Curing periods have reduced from about 21 days under traditional systems to between eight and 12 days, while improving leaf colour, texture, and overall quality.
Zimbabwe is targeting a record 400 million kilogrammes of tobacco sales this season, up from 355 million kilogrammes during the 2024/25 period which generated about US$1.2 billion.
“We have restarted the growth of tobacco in Matabeleland by way of natural flue-cured tobacco.
“This natural flue-cured tobacco is the most sustainably grown tobacco that we can have because we don’t burn any trees and we don’t burn any coal,” TIMB chief executive officer Emmanuel Matsvaire told Standardbusiness during a tour of Marula Barn.
“So, you would see that there is more sustainability that has come on board.
“This type of tobacco that we are growing, which is called natural cured tobacco, has got a very low average cost in terms of production”.
For half a hectare, he said the cost is about US$1 100 per hectare.
“Producing half a hectare of tobacco in Zimbabwe typically costs between US2 500, depending on whether farmers use high-input irrigated systems or lower-cost dryland production methods.
“Meanwhile, for a full hectare, costs range from US$5,000+ for large-scale commercial operations.”
Major expenses include fertilisers and chemicals, labour, seedbed preparation, curing costs such as firewood or coal, and transport to auction floors.
“Small-scale farmers are also producing about 1 600 kilogrammes per hectare, while commercial farmers are doing about 3,000kg per hectare,” Matsvaire said.
“So, you would see that with the reduced cost of production and the revenue coming at average prices of US$2.50, there is more revenue that is going to grow in Matabeleland.”
Three hundred and ninety growers are currently involved in the TIMB programme, including 345 small-scale farmers.
Matsvaire said tobacco produced under the project had already secured market acceptance after tests on nicotine and sugar content confirmed the leaf met industry requirements.
To support production, TIMB has also introduced village business units anchored on solar-powered irrigation systems and solarised boreholes for seedbed establishment in water-stressed communities.
“When we grew up, Virginia tobacco was only produced and cured under flue-curing conditions,” Zimbabwe Agricultural Society chief executive officer Rufaro Gumundu said.
“So, when you look at a situation where it is going to be naturally cured, that is a game changer. It is a revolution.”
He said the model would help preserve firewood and coal resources while improving tobacco sustainability.
Commercial farmers involved in the programme, however, noted that the curing system was still evolving.
“The top of the barns was reaching temperatures of about 65 degrees, almost like a conventional barn, while the lower tiers remained much cooler,” commercial grower Garry Rosenfels said.
Extended rainy periods also created moisture build-up inside some barns, resulting in mould and slower curing processes.
Despite the challenges, Rosenfels said the barns were producing high-quality lemon-coloured tobacco under favourable weather conditions.
“We were getting very nice, coloured tobacco from the top tiers,” Rosenfels said.
This has allowed the farmer to expand production to 30 hectares under irrigation next season, although he warned that dryland tobacco farming remained risky in Matabeleland due to droughts.
First-time tobacco grower Reuben Khumalo said he ventured into tobacco after hearing about its profitability.
“I saw tobacco as a very lucrative crop,” he said. Khumalo said he initially started with one hectare before expanding to two hectares after receiving encouraging returns from his first crop.
During dry spells, he manually planted seedlings at night using water drawn from a nearby dam while waiting for rainfall.
“This facility is going a long way in enhancing our livelihoods. Without this, maybe we would also say we can’t do it anymore,” Khumalo said.
He said proceeds from his first tobacco crop had enabled him to purchase a grinding mill for the community and livestock feed processing, highlighting the crop’s potential to stimulate broader rural economic activity.
However, he said challenges remained regarding labour shortages, access to tillage equipment, and irrigation financing.
“If it means going to the bank, I will do that because I want to increase my hectares of tobacco,” Khumalo said. And now, he can do so through natural tobacco curing.