THE Tobacco Board of Zambia(TBZ) is still struggling to find money to pay farmers who sold tobacco to the board in Eastern Province.
Chief Executive Officer Samson Muyembe told Breeze News monitored in Chipata that TBZ was still scouting for money.
Mr Muyembe declined to reveal how much the board owes farmers but indicated that it was less than K 10 million.
He said that TBZ had already paid out about K10 million to some of the farmers in Eastern Province.
Mr Muyembe said that TBZ was aware that its delay to pay the farmers would impact negatively on the preparations for next farming season.
He however, assured the farmers that TBZ was doing everything possible to ensure that it finds money to pay them as soon as possible.
And Mr Muyembe said that to avoid a similar situation where TBZ was forced to buy tobacco from independent growers all farmers should avoid growing tobacco without sponsorship from companies.
