News / National
Mohadi opens tobacco selling season
20 Mar 2019 at 15:01hrs | Views
The 2019 tobacco marketing season has been officially opened by Vice President Kembo Mohadi who called for the industry to respect and reward the efforts being made by farmers to produce the lucrative crop.
A cross section of stakeholders, farmers and government officials converged at the Tobacco Sales Floors to witness the official opening of 2019 tobacco marketing season amid calls to protect, respect and reward farmers in line with new payment matrix introduced by government.
Vice President Mohadi led the opening procession which saw the best quality fetching US$4.50.
In his remarks, Mohadi described tobacco as one of the strategic crops for the country in terms of generating the much need foreign currency and creating employment for the youth and rural women in the country.
This marketing season was expected to open with a difference following the 50 percent retention introduced by the central bank but farmers are crying foul over the prices averaging between $2 and 0.50 cents which they described as unviable.
Tobacco production broke a record last year after farmers produced 252 million kilogrammes for the first time since independence.
Estimates show that a plus or minus 250 million kilogrammes is expected to go under the hammer this marketing season considering the drought experienced this season.
A cross section of stakeholders, farmers and government officials converged at the Tobacco Sales Floors to witness the official opening of 2019 tobacco marketing season amid calls to protect, respect and reward farmers in line with new payment matrix introduced by government.
Vice President Mohadi led the opening procession which saw the best quality fetching US$4.50.
In his remarks, Mohadi described tobacco as one of the strategic crops for the country in terms of generating the much need foreign currency and creating employment for the youth and rural women in the country.
This marketing season was expected to open with a difference following the 50 percent retention introduced by the central bank but farmers are crying foul over the prices averaging between $2 and 0.50 cents which they described as unviable.
Tobacco production broke a record last year after farmers produced 252 million kilogrammes for the first time since independence.
Estimates show that a plus or minus 250 million kilogrammes is expected to go under the hammer this marketing season considering the drought experienced this season.
Source - zbc
