The Tobacco Commission has extended the period for registration of tobacco farmers as the commission wants a large numbers of farmers to register.
Speaking with reporters, Tobacco Commission Chief Executive Director Joseph Chidanti Malunga said the commission wants to provide an opportunity to farmers who have showed an overwhelming response since the registration process opened.
He added that they have extended the process up to 31st October and no one will be charged a penalty of late registration so that farmers should produce the required volume because there are a lot of buyers who are coming such that the right volume of the crop will be needed to be available.
“We have traditional buyers and we have new buyers that are coming in which means that we will be required to produce volume of Tobacco needed on the market because if we don’t have volumes, we will not be able to meet the target of buyers. Our campaign is to make sure that we grow a lot of Tobacco as much as possible,” he said.
On the issue of child labor, Malunga said that the commission’s first priority is to end child labor as such they are working tirelessly to make sure that no child should be found working in tobacco farms and farmers have been advised on the same.
On his part, president of Media Network on Tobacco Alfred Chauwa said that due to good prices that were offered last marketing season, the season run very smoothly without any serious disruptions from irate growers indicating that farmers remained satisfied with the prices offered throughout the marketing season.
During the 2023 marketing season, 117,920,273 kg of all types of tobacco were sold at an average price of USD2.35 realizing USD277,297,567.43.
During the same period last season, the industry sold 73,099,461 kg of all types of tobacco at an average price of USD2.11 valued at USD154,267,054.84.
