Uganda: Country Probes 'Illegal' Buying of Tobacco

Source from:  The Nation (Nairobi) 3 December 2007 12/04/2007

Investigations by the Ugandan Government into claims that Uganda Leaf Tobacco Company illegally bought tobacco from farmers sponsored by Continental Tobacco are still going on. Continental, a subsidiary of Mastermind Tobacco, had estimated to buy 604 tonnes of tobacco from its farmers in August but got 200 tonnes thus the suspicion. "Details of this allegation will be brought to the attention of the tobacco inspecting officer in Mubende (Uganda) who will conduct an investigation and furnish this office with the required information before any measure can be taken," said a letter from the authorities. Mastermind's corporate affairs manager Josh Kirimania said their probe showed that Uganda Leaf bought dark fire tobacco in Kibale, which was solely sponsored by Continental in this year's season. "Worth noting is the fact that Uganda Leaf Tobacco has not sponsored any farmer to grow the dark fire tobacco in Kibale," Mr Kirimania said in Nairobi on phone. Uganda's Tobacco (Control and Marketing) Regulation, 1996 is stringent on unfair practices in marketing of tobacco and provides among other measures that, "no person shall purchase any crop from a grower with whom he has no subsisting sponsorship agreement". Enditem