In this article, we are going to discuss the top 5 tobacco growing countries in the world. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the global tobacco market, the heavy investments in marketing by tobacco companies, and the rising popularity of flavored tobacco, head to Top 20 Tobacco Growing Countries in the World.
5. Zimbabwe
Total Area Dedicated to Tobacco Production: 112,770 ha
Zimbabwe is the Largest Producer of Tobacco in Africa, and the country is aiming to turn tobacco farming into a $5 billion industry by 2025. However, the sector has had a devastating impact on the country’s environment and around 60,000 hectares of forests are burnt every year to farm tobacco in Zimbabwe due to a lack of available farmland.
China has been integral to Zimbabwe’s tobacco boom by establishing a grower contract system run by the state-owned China National Tobacco Corporation.
4. Indonesia
Total Area Dedicated to Tobacco Production: 220,257 ha
Indonesia is known for its relatively high tolerance towards smoking and the country still hasn’t signed or ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Indonesia produced over 237,000 tonnes of raw tobacco in 2021, most of which came from just three provinces – East Java, Central Java, and West Nusa Tenggara.
Established in 1958, PT Gudang Garam Tbk is one of Indonesia’s leading cigarette manufacturers, best known for its kretek clove cigarettes. The company produces over 70 billion cigarettes annually but its share of the domestic market has steadily declined over the last decade to around 20%, as it comes under pressure from rivals such as HM Sampoerna.
Indonesia sits among the Top 10 Producers of Tobacco in 2024.
3. Brazil
Total Area Dedicated to Tobacco Production: 357,230 ha
Tobacco is a major economic contributor in southern Brazil, with over 124,000 tobacco farmers spread across 491 municipalities in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná. However, the region has recently been hit by excessive rains and hail, causing plant roots to drown and leaves to develop spots.
Brazil is the Largest Exporter of Raw Tobacco in the World, with $1.73 billion in exports in 2022.
2. India
Total Area Dedicated to Tobacco Production: 431,146 ha
Tobacco is one of the major commercial crops grown in India, with most of it farmed in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat and in neighboring states, including Karnataka and Maharashtra. Around 6 million farmers and 20 million farm laborers are engaged in tobacco cultivation in the South Asian country.
Headquartered in Kolkata, ITC Limited is the market leader in the Indian cigarettes industry, boasting a revenue of over $8.4 billion in its last financial year that ended on the 30th of March 2023.
1. China
Total Area Dedicated to Tobacco Production: 1,014,553 ha
As the Largest Producer of Tobacco in the World, China produces more than two million metric tons of tobacco each year. Around 20 million Chinese farmers are involved in tobacco farming, with Yunnan province being the largest tobacco-producing region.
The China National Tobacco Corporation (CNTC) is the world’s largest producer of cigarettes and enjoys a monopoly on tobacco growing, production, and sales, with an estimated 97% market share in the country.
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