The history of Tobacco Crop (Nicotiana tobaccum) goes back to 1930, when the crop was introduced in Songea from the then Nyasaland (Malawi). Tobacco introduction in Urambo district in Tabora region after World War II (1940) marked a watershed in its development in the country.
Since then, tobacco has become a household crop in our country and to date it is grown in the following 13 administrative regions involving 33 districts.
- Tabora (Urambo, Tabora Municipal, Uyui, Nzega, Sikonge and Kaliua);
- Katavi (Tanganyika, Mlele and Mpanda);
- Shinyanga (Kahama);
- Geita (Chato, Geita, Mbogwe and Bukombe);
- Kagera (Biharamulo);
- Kigoma (Uvinza, Kasulu, Kakonko and Kibondo);
- Iringa (Iringa Municipal and Mufindi);
- Singida (Manyoni);
- Mbeya (Chunya);
- Ruvuma (Songea Rural, Namtumbo, Mbinga and Tunduru);
- Songwe (Songwe District);
- Mara (Serengeti, Tarime and Rorya) and
- Morogoro (Kilosa).