Agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy. The country has got a unique climate and rich soils. Major agricultural exports are tobacco, sugar, tea, coffee, cotton, seed maize, small grains and oil seed. Other exports include flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. 

Zimbabwe is the second largest exporter of flue-cured tobacco in the whole world. Tobacco accounts for a third of the country’s foreign currency earnings. Zimbabwe’s tobacco selling season runs from April to October. Tobacco is sold at auction floors such as the Boka Auction Floors which is one of the largest in the world. The first tobacco auction floor in the country was established in 1920.

By year 2000 most of Zimbabwe’s agricultural produce was destined for the European Union (99 percent of cut flowers, 89 percent of vegetables, herbs and spices, and 75 percent of citrus). The bulk of the produce is exported  to markets in Europe.