Just days after projecting a record 400 million kilogram tobacco harvest for 2026, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has slashed official tobacco grades from 1,320 to 669 for the upcoming marketing season.
The decision responds to changing climatic conditions and modern farming practices, aiming to simplify grading, protect Zimbabwe’s competitiveness, and align with international buyer standards amid global oversupply.
An industry technical committee representing all stakeholders led the review, and farmers are urged to focus on proper grading and baling as the market opens. TIMB emphasizes that quality will be the key differentiator this season, even as production volumes rise. In a statement seen by ZiGoats.com, TIMB said:
“This move responds to changing climatic conditions and farming practices, and aims to streamline grading, align with international buyer standards, and protect Zimbabwe’s competitiveness in a period of global oversupply.
The process was led by an industry technical committee representing all tobacco sector stakeholders. As we grade and bale, preparing for the market to open, let’s bear this in mind.”
Zimbabwe’s golden leaf sector remains a backbone of the rural economy, supporting thousands of households and generating over US$1 billion in annual export earnings, with the 2026 season poised to cement the country’s status as Africa’s top tobacco producer.
An Explainer of the codes in the Tables Below
The long list of codes, like L1R, L3RF, P4EA, X5OG, represents specific types, positions, and qualities of tobacco leaves:
Leaf position: L1–L5 or P1–P5 = top to bottom leaves on the plant. Top leaves are usually finer, lower leaves thicker and coarser.
Type/Variety: R = Red Virginia, E = Eastern flue-cured, L = leaf grade, O = other or specialized types, X = experimental or niche types.
Quality markers: A = Air-cured, F = Fine, D = Damaged, V = Very good, Q = Quality, G = Grade for export.
For example:
L1RFA → Top leaf, Red Virginia, Fine + Air-cured.
P3EAD → Middle-position leaf, Eastern flue-cured, Air-cured, Damaged.
By consolidating grades, TIMB simplifies sorting, protects Zimbabwe’s competitiveness, and ensures international buyers can easily identify quality. Farmers are now encouraged to focus on proper grading and baling, because in 2026, quality will set the price
Priming Grades P
| P1E | P1EA | ||||||
| P2E | P2EA | P2EV | |||||
| P3E | P3ED | P3EA | P3EAD | P3EAQ | P3EV | P3EQ | P3EVD |
| P4E | P4ED | P4EA | P4EAD | P4EAQ | P4EV | P4EQ | P4EVD |
| P5E | P5ED | P5EA | P5EAD | P5EAQ | P5EV | P5EQ | P5EVD |
| P3EVA | P3EVQ | P3EG | P3EGA | P3EGD |
| P4EVA | P4EVQ | P4EG | P4EGA | P4EGD |
| P5EVA | P5EVQ | P5EG | P5EGA | P5EGD |
| P1L | P1LA | PILF | PILFA | ||||
| P2L | P2LA | P2LF | P2LFA | P2LV | |||
| P3L | P3LD | P3LA | P3LAD | P3LAQ | P3LF | P3LFA | P3LV |
| P4L | P4LD | P4LA | P4LAD | P4LAQ | P4LF | P4LFA | P4LV |
| P5L | P5LD | P5LA | P5LAD | P5LAQ | P5LF | P5LFA | P5LV |
| P3LQ | P3LVD | P3LVA | P3LVQ | P3LG | P3LGA | P3LGD |
| P4LQ | P4LVD | P4LVA | P4LVQ | P4LG | P4LGA | P4LGD |
| P5LQ | P5LVD | P5LVA | P5LVQ | P5LG | P5LGA | P5LGD |
| P3EGQ | P3EK | P3EKA | P3EKD | P3EKQ | P3EKV | P3EKG | P3EY |
| P4EGQ | P4EK | P4EKA | P4EKD | P4EKQ | P4EKV | P4EKG | P4EY |
| P5EGQ | P5EK | P5EKA | P5EKD | P5EKQ | P5EKV | P5EKG | P5EY |
| P3LGQ | P3LK | P3LKA | P3LKD | P3LKQ | P3LKV | P3LKG | P3LY |
| P4LGQ | P4LK | P4LKA | P4LKD | P4LKQ | P4LKV | P4LKG | P4LY |
| P5LGQ | P5LK | P5LKA | P5LKD | P5LKQ | P5LKV | P5LKG | P5LY |
| P30GQ | P3OK | P3OKA | P3OKD | P3OKQ | P3OKV | P3OKG | P3OY |
| P4OGQ | P4OK | P4OKA | P4OKD | P4OKQ | P4OKV | P4OKG | P4OY |
| P50GQ | P5OK | P5OKA | P5OKD | P5OKQ | P5OKV | P5OKG | P5OY |
| P1O | P1OA | P1OF | P1OFA | ||||
| P20 | P2OA | P2OF | P2OFA | P2OV | |||
| P30 | P3OD | P3OA | P3OAD | P30AQ | P3OF | P3OFA | P3OV |
| P40 | P4OD | P4OA | P4OAD | P4OAQ | P4OF | P4OFA | P4OV |
| P50 | P5OD | P5OA | P5OAD | P5OAQ | P5OF | P5OFA | P5OV |
| P4OVD | P4OVA | P4OVQ | P4OG | P4OGA | P4OGD | P4OQ |
| P5OVD | P5OVA | P5OVQ | P5OG | P5OGA | P5OGD | P5OQ |
LUG GRADES (X)
| X1E | X1EA | |||||
| X2E | X2EA | X2EV | ||||
| X3E | X3ED | X3EA | X3EAD | X3EAQ | X3EV | X3EVD |
| X4E | X4ED | X4EA | X4EAD | X4EAQ | X4EV | X4EVD |
| X5E | X5ED | X5EA | X5EAD | X5EAQ | X5EV | X5EVD |
| X2EVA | |||||||
| X3EQ | X3EVD | X3EVA | X3EVQ | X3EG | X3EGA | X3EGD | X3EYD |
| X4EQ | X4EVD | X4EVA | X4EVQ | X4EG | X4EGA | X4EGD | X4EYD |
| X5EQ | X5EVD | X5EVA | X5EVQ | X5EG | X5EGA | X5EGD | X5EYD |
| XIL | X1LA | X1LF | XILFA | ||||
| X2L | X2LA | X2LF | X2LFA | X2LV | |||
| X3L | X3LD | X3LA | X3LAD | X3LAQ | X3LF | X3LFA | X3LV |
| X4L | X4LD | X4LA | X4LAD | X4LAQ | X4LF | X4LFA | X4LV |
| X5L | X5LD | X5LA | X5LAD | X5LAQ | X5LF | X5LFA | X5LV |
| X2LVA | |||||||
| X3LVD | X3LVA | X3LVQ | X3LG | X3LGA | X3LGD | X3LYD | X3LQ |
| X4LVD | X4LVA | X4LVQ | X4LG | X4LGA | X4LGD | X4LYD | X4LQ |
| X5LVD | X5LVA | X5LVQ | X5LG | X5LGA | X5LGD | X5LYD | X5LQ |
| X10 | X10A | X1OF | XIOFA | ||||
| X2O | X2OA | X2OF | X2OFA | X2OV | |||
| X30 | X3OD | X3OA | X3OAD | X3OAQ | X3OF | X3OFA | X3OV |
| X40 | X4OD | X40A | X4OAD | X40AQ | X4OF | X4OFA | X4OV |
| X50 | X5OD | X50A | X5OAD | X50AQ | X5OF | X5OFA | X5OV |
| X2OVA | |||||||
| X3OVD | X3OVA | X3OVQ | X3OG | X3OGA | X3OGD | X3OYD | X30Q |
| X4OVD | X4OVA | X4OVQ | X4OG | X4OGA | X4OGD | X4OYD | X40Q |
| X5OVD | X5OVA | X50VQ | X5OG | X5OGA | X5OGD | X5OYD | X50Q |
| X3EGQ | X3EK | X3EKA | X3EKD | X3EKQ | X3EKV | X3EKG | X3EY |
| X4EGQ | X4EK | X4EKA | X4EKD | X4EKQ | X4EKV | X4EKG | X4EY |
| X5EGQ | X5EK | X5EKA | X5EKD | X5EKQ | X5EKV | X5EKG | X5EY |
| X3LGQ | X3LK | X3LKA | X3LKD | X3LKQ | X3LKV | X3LKG | X3LY |
| X4LGQ | X4LK | X5LKA | X4LKD | X4LKQ | X4LKV | X4LKG | X4LY |
| X5LGQ | X5LK | X5LKA | X5LKD | X5LKQ | X5LKV | X5LKG | X5LY |
| X3OGQ | X3OK | X3OKA | X3OKD | X3OKQ | X3OKV | X3OKG | X3OY |
| X4OGQ | X4OK | X4OKA | X4OKD | X4OKQ | X4OKV | X4OKG | X4OY |
| X5OGQ | X5OK | X5OKA | X5OKD | X5OKQ | X5OKV | X5OKG | X5OY |
Leaf grades (L)
| L2LVA | |||||||
| L3LQ | L3LVD | L3LVA | L3LVQ | L3LG | L3LGA | L3LGD | L3LVD |
| L4LQ | L4LVD | L4LVA | L4LVQ | L4LG | L4LGA | L4LGD | L4LVD |
| L5LQ | L5LVD | L5LVA | L5LVQ | L5LG | L5LGA | L5LGD | L5LVD |
| L10 | L10A | L1OF | L1OFA | ||||
| L2O | L2OA | L2OF | L2OFA | L2OV | |||
| L3O | L3OD | L3OA | L3OAD | L3OAQ | L3OF | L3OFA | L3OV |
| L4O | L4OD | L4OA | L4OAD | L4OAQ | L4OF | L4OFA | L4OV |
| L5O | L5OD | L5OA | L5OAD | L5OAQ | L5OF | L5OFA | L5OV |
| L2OVA | |||||||
| L3OQ | L3OVD | L3OVA | L3OVQ | L3OG | L3OGA | L3OGD | L3OVD |
| L40Q | L4OVD | L4OVA | L40VQ | L4OG | L4OGA | L4OGD | L4OVD |
| L5OQ | L5OVD | L5OVA | L5OVQ | L5OG | L5OGA | L5OGD | L5OVD |
| L1R | L1RA | L1RF | L1RFA | ||||
| L2R | L2RA | L2RF | L2RFA | L2RV | |||
| L3R | L3RD | L3RA | L3RF | L3RFA | L3RV | L3RQ | L3RG |
| L4R | L4RD | L4RA | L4RF | L4RFA | L4RV | L4RQ | L4RG |
| L5R | L5RD | L5RA | L5RF | L5RFA | L5RV | L5RQ | L5RG |
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