Sales of Zimbabwe’s tobacco dropped 23.52% to 178.7 million kilograms this year as production was affected by lower rainfall, official data showed.

Farmers delivered 178.7 million kilogram at the close of auctions compared to 233.6 million kg during the same period last year, the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board said.

Notably, tobacco is the one of the largest foreign currency earners for the African nation. However, a devastating drought and poor rains this year have hit the farming sector badly.