Kenya: Tobacco Farmers Demand Rise in Leaf Prices

Source from:  The Standard Digital News‎  12/06/2012

Tobacco farmers in Western Province have threatened to stop selling their produce to buying companies unless prices are improved.

The farmers vowed to stop supplying the leaves to the British American Tobacco   and Mastermind Tobacco Kenya unless the two companies reviewed the prices of the crop.

Kenya Tobacco Farmers Association (Ketofa) Secretary General Charles Okasirem said the companies had no option but to review prices upwards.

Mr Okasirem said the prices should be moved from the current Sh171 to Sh250 per kilogramme.  He added farm inputs were expensive and there was need to improve prices in order to cushion farmers from the high cost of production.

He accused the two companies of failing to honour an agreement made last year that would have seen the price go up from Sh170 to Sh200.

"We are not going to sell our leaves to the companies at a lower price than our demand. Farm inputs are very high," said Okasirem. Enditem