10 Countries that Export the Most Tobacco in the World

4. Zimbabwe

Exported value: 864,954

Zimbabwe is a leading tobacco producer and exporter in Africa. The rise of the commodity production began in 2000 when President Robert Mugabe decided to take away farms from white owners and give them to the blacks. In the last 16 years, the number of farmers who focus solely on growing tobacco has risen from 4,500 to 72,000.

The tobacco production in Zimbabwe is expected to continue to decline in 2016 due to severe droughts that affects the lives of 4 million people. Last year the commodity export constituted a third of the total international shipment, which is significantly more compared to platinum or gold. Although it is predicted that tobacco output will decline 15 percent in 2016, the crop’s export will remain one of the main contributors to Zimbabwe’s budget.