Green Leaf Tobacco Importation Regulations

The projected total Green Leaf Tobacco production for Zambia during the 2020 tobacco marketing season is 30,000,000 kg. Subsequently, following the national wide assessment it has been established that there is an eminent under supply of green leaf tobacco in Zambia during the 2020 tobacco marketing to meet the 50,000,000kg quota that has been demanded by the Chinese market. As at 21st June, 2020, only 24,000,000 kg has been bought in Zambia against the projected 30,000,000kg and major tobacco buying companies are stopping to purchase green leaf tobacco since it is not readily available in Zambia. Meaning the buyers of green leaf tobacco in Zambia will not be able to export the quota demanded by China, unless measures are put in place to address this deficient of over 20,000,000 kg.

There is a window to meet the quota demanded by the China, and seeing that the capacity is not clearly there for Zambia to meet the green leaf tobacco order, and taking advantage of the excess green leaf tobacco in Tanzania, the Ministry of Agriculture through Tobacco Board of Zambia intends to issue the import permit to the private companies to import green leaf tobacco to be sold at licensed tobacco sales floors in Zambia and be exported as Zambian green leaf tobacco to China. However, the import permit cannot be issued since the current law do not permit importation of green leaf tobacco unless if the statutory instrument is enacted in line with the provisions of Section 64 of the Tobacco Act cap 237 of the Laws of Zambia. 

Ministry of Agriculture through the Tobacco Board of Zambia intends to issue regulations for the importation of green leaf tobacco and invites comments from stakeholders on the draft regulations.