Tobacco-leaf production is declining globally, but rising in Africa, according to a new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO). The analysis finds that while global tobacco-leaf production fell by nearly 19% between 2012 and 2024, production in Africa increased by almost 9%. Over the same period, Africa’s cigarette import bill more than doubled. Africa’s cigarette imports more than doubled, rising from US$ 833 million to US$ 1.77 billion. The findings point to a troubling development pattern: African countries are producing and exporting increasing amounts of raw tobacco leaf, while also spending significantly more to import manufactured cigarettes. “This is not just a tobacco-control issue. It is a health, trade, development and environmental issue,” said Dr Vinayak Prasad, Head of the Tobacco Free Initiative at WHO. “Tobacco farming exposes workers and families to serious health risks, damages the environment and can trap farmers in cycles of debt. At the same time, African economies are spending more on imported cigarettes that fuel addiction, disease and premature death.” The report shows that Africa accounted for around 11% of global tobacco-leaf production in 2024. Production is highly concentrated, with the five largest producers Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Uganda, in descending order accounting for the large majority of the continent’s tobacco ou...
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