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By Elvis Dumba
Mutorashanga – Zvimba North Constituency Member of the House of Assembly Marian Chombo has urged tobacco farmers to be wary of losing their hard-earned investments through unscrupulous tobacco buyers.
“We have been receiving reports from tobacco contractors losing business due to side-marketing and this is not only peculiar to tobacco but even to maize. After the government gives out presidential inputs under the Pfumvunza scheme, you will see some people selling their produce to buyers for less, which is a worrying trend that should stop,” she said.
Chombo also took a dig on some tobacco companies involved in tobacco contracting whom she accused of shortchanging farmers through side-marketing.
“As much as we don’t encourage side marketing, some contractors in the sector fuel side marketing by shortchanging farmers. For example, the inputs you give out to farmers and the repayments costs you demand sometimes are outrageous – resulting in farmers withholding their product and side market.”
Chombo, who is also the Local Government Deputy Minister, urged tobacco farmers to promote food security by also farming crops such as maize as some tobacco farmers neglect this aspect.
With the country experiencing the effects of climate change, Minister Chombo urged both players in the tobacco sector to be at the forefront of reforestation.
“We are all noticing what is happening the world over due to climate change. Most tobacco farmers use firewood in curing their tobacco but are we replacing those trees being felled? I want you as tobacco partners to spearhead programs of reforestation and make every day a tree planting day,” she urged.
The tobacco field day was held at the plot of Leonard Mukundu (49) who is ready to deliver his crop from a leased one-hectare plot.
The tobacco selling season is expected to start on 31 March 2022 with auction floors’ official opening slated for 30 March.
Vinet Munana, an inspector with Tobacco Industry Marketing Board said companies that will be found guilty of promoting side marketing risk to be deregistered.
Chombo donated fertilisers, knapsacks, and cash to various tobacco farmers at the function.