THE TOBACCO of Zambia Board (TBZ) has projected that there will be 1,000 metric tonnes reduction of tobacco to be bought from the farmers during the 2016 tobacco floors in Eastern Province.
TBZ Chief Executive Officer Samson Muyembe disclosed in Chipata yesterday the merchants were expected to buy 6,000 tones compared to 7,000 tones which was bought by the merchants during the last season giving a reduction of 1,000 tones.
Mr Muyembe said this was necessitated due to the dry spell which had hit some parts of the farming community in the province as well as the pulling out from the markets by the two merchants during the 2015 season.
He explained that the pulling out of Alliance One International and Zambia Leaf from the market affected the production of tobacco in the province.
Mr Muyembe explained that some farmers in Zemba area of Chadiza and Lundazi District were affected with the decision by the two companies to pull out from the market.
“We are expecting a reduction of 1,000 metric tones of tobacco during this year’s floors. The merchants are expected to buy 6,000 metric tones while for last year, we had 7,000 metric tones which were purchased by the merchants,” he said.
Mr Muyembe said the merchants that were currently the tobacco from the farmers includes Tombwe Processing Plant Limited, Japan Tobacco International (JTI), Hillside, Sun Bridge, Ross Tobacco Investments and Pemba Leaf respectively.
He said he was hopeful that during this year’s tobacco season would be success.
The man on top is or does not have the ideas to grow the tobacco industry.during his tenure we have witnessed a downward trend in tobacco production aswel as marketing.
It would have been useful to also talk about the price of tobacco this year. PF is for street traders and they don’t care about farmers. They spend all their time insulting farmers. Paya Farmer party.
Diversify to the Herb they will buy more.
Tobacco farmers ar nt saported by the govt of de day,all we c is exploitatation frm de merchants,de crop is labour intensive nd wen buying sch factors ar nt considerd,they rather c a farmer go empty handed after a tough rain season,nt fair