Africa’s largest tobacco processing facility opens

Hi Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the Cut Rag Processors (CRP) tobacco manufacturing plant in Aspindale, Harare.

The facility, which represents an investment of between USD 100-120 million, is now the largest tobacco processing plant on the African continent.

The new facility is equipped with advanced German and Italian technology and has the capacity to process three million kg of tobacco per month, producing up to 60,000 master cases of cigarettes. According to company executives, the plant will enable Zimbabwe to increase its local tobacco processing rate from 10% to a target of 30% by 2025.

The opening ceremony was attended by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu, among other dignitaries.

The facility enhances Zimbabwe's value addition capabilities and positions the nation to increase exports of high-value finished tobacco products rather than raw materials.

The development comes as Zimbabwe achieved a record tobacco harvest of 355 million kg in 2025, valued at USD 1.2 billion and supporting more than 160,000 households. Currently, the country exports approximately 98% of its tobacco in raw form.

Company officials indicated that CRP aims to expand into Asian markets, which represent some of the largest tobacco markets globally, while also targeting regional opportunities. The focus on value addition through cut rag production (the shredded tobacco blend used in cigarette manufacturing) is expected to strengthen Zimbabwe's position in the global tobacco value chain.

The project supports the government's National Development Strategy (NDS-1) objectives of industrialisation, local resource processing, and mechanisation, which aim to transform Zimbabwe into a middle-income economy by 2030.