Farmers And Bankers Asked to Work Together

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 09/28/2011

The Zimbabwe government has asked the banking sector to lend money to tobacco growers and thereby allow an increase in production, according to a story in The Herald. The appeal to banks was made by Agriculture Mechanization and Irrigation Development Minister, Dr. Joseph Made, during the 2011 Tobacco Sales Floor Tobacco Growers' Awards. In a speech, read on Made's behalf by the ministry's permanent secretary, Ngoni Masoka, the minister said his government was aware of the challenges being faced by farmers in the tobacco sector. "Government is fully aware of challenges being experienced in the tobacco sector, ranging from funding of production, adequate knowledge of growing the crop, price distortions and farmer inconveniences associated with the marketing of tobacco," he said. Made encouraged the financial sector to assist farmers but he urged farmers to repay loans to establish a sound working relationship with the banks. He said agriculture and mining were the dominant contributors to economic growth last year, with agriculture contributing 33.9 per cent and mining 47.0 per cent. Enditem