Zimbabwe: Tobacco Farmers Call for Decentralisation of Auction Floors

Source from:  Manicapost.com 02/26/2013

PLAYERS in tobacco farming in Rusape have intensified their calls for the decentralisation of the crop's auction floors to the town.

Concerned parties have since petitioned the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board to grant permits to willing tobacco merchants to set up auction floors in Rusape.

The petition was also copied to Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Joseph Made, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Cde Didymus Mutasa, Manicaland Provincial Governor, Cde Christopher Mushohwe, Minister of Youth Development, Empowerment and Indigenisation, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere and TIMB chairperson, Mrs Monica Chinamasa.

The concerned parties who include farmers, agro-dealers, traditional leaders, Rusape Town and Makoni Rural District Council argued that the benefits from the gold leaf are not in anyway felt in Rusape.

Makoni Agro-dealers Association chairman, Mr Last Muchero, who is the front runner of the petitioners, said other communities had different resources they were benefiting from, but Rusape was not benefiting from its tobacco.

"Other communities have mineral resources and they are benefiting from community share ownership schemes. Makoni District grows the bulk of tobacco from Manicaland and contributes significantly to the national tobacco yield. It is, however, saddening to note that growers still have to travel to Harare to sell their crop under unfavourable conditions of high transport costs, theft of bales due to pressure and congestion at auction floors.

"On the other hand, the business community and local authorities which support farmers to produce the crop have nothing to enjoy as the proceeds from the tobacco sales are spent in Harare. All their sweat is enjoyed by big and mainly foreign owned corporates who are reluctant to support the farmers," said Mr Muchero.

There are 5 822 both small and large scale commercial tobacco growers in Makoni who generate about $48 million from 13 365 hectares.

Last season, only Mashonaland Tobacco Company decentralised its operations to Rusape, but was only permitted to buy tobacco from its 1 627 contracted farmers. The total amount realised by the farmers was $7,8 million and 30 people were gainfully employed.

Mr Muchero also added that the recent opening of offices by TIMB in Rusape was proof that the district was a tobacco hub, hence the need of a permanent auction floor.

"We also feel the reason why TIMB decentralised is sufficient enough to have the auctioning floors decentralised. As a community we want to hail Mashonaland Tobacco Company for responding to our call last season and we are appealing to all other companies to come to Rusape," he said. Enditem