Published: 22 May 2025

In a joint statement issued yesterday, the two entities acknowledged a temporary strain in the availability of hessian wraps due to heightened demand during the peak of the marketing season but stressed that the situation is under control and expected to normalise by the end of the week.

"Propak, the licensed supplier of hessian for the 2024/25 tobacco season, wishes to assure all stakeholders, especially tobacco growers, that there is no shortage of hessian wraps," the statement read. "Despite this being the peak of the marketing season, Propak has confirmed that there is adequate supply to meet the current seasonal demand."

Hessian wraps, made from jute or sisal fibres, are a critical component in the post-harvest handling of tobacco. These coarse, woven sacks help protect cured tobacco leaves from moisture, dust, sunlight, and physical damage during storage and transportation, while allowing for vital air circulation to maintain leaf quality.

Propak, a leading distributor of tobacco packaging materials in Zimbabwe, noted that the temporary supply strain would soon ease as additional stock arrives and more hessian wraps are returned by growers for recycling over the next four to five weeks.

"These returns are expected to further stabilise availability throughout the remainder of the season," said the company.

To ensure continued access, TIMB and Propak also announced the current pricing structure for hessian wraps, with new wraps retailing at US$3.30 and recycled (old) wraps available at US$2.80 each.

Meanwhile, the tobacco industry continues to perform strongly. As of May 12, Zimbabwe had sold 169.9 million kilogrammes of tobacco-an increase from 144.6 million kilogrammes during the same period last year. The average selling price stood at US$3.39 per kilogramme.

Export earnings as of May 9 had reached US$338.32 million, driven by a nearly 8 percent rise in the average export price to US$6.20 per kilogramme.

The TIMB and Propak's assurance is likely to bring relief to farmers and buyers concerned about logistics disruptions, as Zimbabwe's tobacco sector continues its vital contribution to foreign currency earnings and agricultural employment.
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