Tobacco Growers Stick to Their Crop

Source from:  BY Gerald Namwaza dailytimes.bppmw.com 29 November 2006 12/01/2006

HUNDREDS of tobacco farmers are rushing to Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) to register for next year's growing season, industry gurus have said. Low tobacco prices at the auction floors this year, especially of burley, had prompted some farmers to threaten boycotting the dwindling industry. But faced with no viable income generating activities, reports say farmers in all districts of Malawi, especially in central region, have resorted to their traditional crop. TCC General Manager Godfrey Chapola Tuesday said his organisation had received unprecedented number of applications from farmers planning to grow the crop. "They are registering in large numbers, and we intend to do our first survey in December to get the full picture of how much tobacco we will produce this year," Chapola said. This year's tobacco estimates indicated the industry would produce about 158 million kilogrammes as compared to 145 million kgs in 2005-a trend one analyst said would be repeated next year. "Most local farmers have no alternative cash crop-they end up rushing to tobacco and in the end over produce the leaf, once supply is more than demand, prices go down," said one analyst working for a leading tobacco buyer in Lilongwe. He said most buyers are aware that local growers have no choice but to grow the tobacco-a development he said makes buyers take local farmers for granted. "I am not surprised to hear farmers are rushing for the crop, that is the trend and unless another crop comes in to offer better returns -which is unlikely-farmers would still go for tobacco," the source said. Tobacco Association of Malawi (Tama), one of the biggest representatives of tobacco growers, said most of its members have planted the crop. "We are planting and poor prices have not discouraged us," said Tama president Albert Kamulaga Tuesday. President Bingu wa Mutharika directed this year that low quality tobacco be sold at a minimum price of $1.10(about K150), but buyers defied the order and bought most tobacco below the set price. Tobacco contributes about 60 per cent to the country's national income, and employs 80 per cent of men in the major growing districts of central region. Enditem