🇿🇼ZimbabweSouthern Africa
Zimbabwe's tobacco exports surge 62% amid varied economic performance
via NewsDay Zimbabwe1 min read
Zimbabwe's tobacco exports have seen a significant 62% increase due to strong global demand. This positive trend in exports comes as other sectors face challenges, including power outages and raw material shortages impacting ART operations, leading to a 6% decline in export volumes and a 26% drop in paper division volumes for the manufacturer in the third quarter to June 2022. Edgars' full-year performance indicates a recovery and a strategic shift, with financial services becoming a key profit driver alongside retail operations. Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority Zimra is tightening regulations on imports. Political tensions are reported at grasslands plots, resulting in violent attacks and forced evictions. In other news, a drone rollout is expected to reduce medical delivery times to under 30 minutes, and March rains have improved some crop conditions. Mthuli Ncube's remarks have drawn attention, and a Member of Parliament has donated 20 cattle for independence celebrations.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by NewsDay Zimbabwe.
Must ReadEtihad Airways' expansion plans include adding Harare to its global map, enhancing connectivity for the Zimbabwean capital. This development is part of a series of local news items, which also include discussions on the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority tightening import regulations, Members of Parliament opposing Treasury's sugar tax spending, and the rollout of drones to reduce medical delivery times in Zimbabwe to under 30 minutes. Other reports cover a 62% surge in tobacco exports due to strong global demand, and the Edgars Financial Year performance indicating recovery and a strategic pivot, with retail operations increasingly complemented by financial services as a significant profit driver.
Zimbabwe international forward Tawanda Maswanhise has been recognized for his outstanding performance in the Scottish Premiership by being named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Season. The 23-year-old winger, who plays for Motherwell F.C., has been a key player for his team, achieving personal and club records. This marks the first time since the 2012/13 season that Motherwell has had more than one player in the PFA Team of the Season, with Calum Ward, Paul McGinn, Elliot Watt, Elijah Just, and Maswanhise all receiving this honor. Maswanhise has scored 17 goals in 30 league matches and a total of 22 goals across all competitions, placing him among the club's elite 20-goal scorers. His speed, strength, and composure have made him a formidable opponent for defenses. He is also nominated for Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and Goal of the Season at Motherwell's end-of-season awards. His impressive form has led to speculation about potential transfer interest from clubs like Celtic F.C. and Rangers F.C. in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Zimbabwe is celebrating its 46th independence anniversary with a long weekend filled with festivals, sports, and outdoor escapes. This comes as several economic and political developments are noted, including increased scrutiny on imports by Zimra, a 62% surge in tobacco exports due to strong global demand, and the rollout of drones to reduce medical delivery times to under 30 minutes. Edgars' financial performance indicates recovery and a strategic shift, with retail operations now complemented by financial services as a significant profit driver. However, challenges persist, such as power outages and raw material shortages impacting ART operations, leading to a decline in export and paper division volumes by 6% and 26% respectively in the third quarter to June 2022. Political tensions at grasslands plots have also resulted in violent attacks and forced evictions.
The Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe has introduced a drone-based monitoring system to modernize forest management and data collection. Initial field operations were conducted this week at Ruzawi Forest in Marondera, in collaboration with Afrostain Farmtech. The drones utilize high-resolution cameras and sensors to capture real-time data, significantly improving the speed and accuracy of forest assessments. This technology allows for detailed imagery and measurements, which are then processed to generate precise forest metrics. The Commission stated that the drones can estimate tree biomass, aiding in understanding carbon dioxide capture, and can calculate tree volume and map carbon storage by analyzing canopy height and vegetation density. This deployment signifies a move towards digital innovation in Zimbabwe’s forestry sector, aiming to enhance sustainability, monitoring, and resource management.