Tobacco production has been on the decline in the country since the 2013/2014 growing season, according to an official, Xinhuanet reported.

The production of tobacco declined from 105 million kilogrammes in 2013/2014 to 93 million kilogrammes in 2014/2015, according to Stanley Mnozya, the deputy managing director of the Tanzania Tobacco Board. The production of the crop decreased from 72 million kilogrammes in 2015/2016 to 60 kilogrammes in 2016/2017 and reduced to 50.5 million kilogrammes in 2017/2018.
Mnozya said that lower global demand for tobacco and increased problems with pests have caused the decline, according to the report.
“There has been a spate of pests that destroy tens of hectares of tobacco farms annually which subsequently raise production costs of the cash crop,” Mnozya was quoted as saying.
Tanzania is second in Africa in tobacco production after Malawi.