Zambia: Eastern Province Tobacco Farmers in a Bind

Source from:  Zambia Reports 07/16/2015

A total of 10 tobacco farmers from the Eastern Province who trekked to Lusaka in search of a market for their crop are stranded in the capital city after hitting a snag with no one to purchase their produce.

The price and market of cotton in eastern province has been a contentious subject in the Eastern Province because scores of small scale and peasant farmers often find challenges in marketing their produce.

Recently, the tobacco growers asked the government to address challenges facing their sector because small scale farmers were being exploited by out-grower schemes.

The peasant farmers were worried that out-grower schemes had failed the sector because commercial outfits that engaged the locals to grow tobacco had indicated that they would not be able to purchase the crop.

This change in position has forced scores of peasants in the east to seek alternative markets for their crop, resulting in the 10 getting stuck in Lusaka with bundles of tobacco.

According to sources in Lusaka, the farmers hauled the tobacco to Lusaka for a private buyer, who later jilted the peasants on suggestions that the crop from Eastern Province did not meet "market specifications."

The sources said that the 10 farmers were agitated at this turn of events because they had already spent substantial of money transporting the tobacco to Lusaka.

And Eastern Fodya Association of Zambia (EFAZ) Provincial Chairperson Franklin Mwale said from chipata that the private company, which he refused to name promised to buy the tobacco from eastern province because there was too much debri in the content and that the crop did not meet the prescribed standard.

Mwale said these were cheap tricks from tobacco buyers who have continued to abuse small scale farmers in Zambia.

Mwale said his association was disappointed with tobacco buyers who were forcing small scale farmers to waste their meagre resources ventures that were not profitable.

"These tobacco farmers who took their crop to Lusaka are currently stuck because the tobacco company that promised to buy the produce has now changed its position. The company says it cannot buy the crop anymore but these people have already spent and it is so difficult for them now to proceed.," he said.

Mwale said many companies in Eastern Province and Lusaka had encouraged the farmers in Chadiza district to take their produce to the capital where there was a ready market for the crop but this incident has shown that peasant farmers were being abused.

He said there were many farmers in Eastern Province working in tobacco out-grower schemes that were not registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

"We have advised our farmers to only deal with known and reputable local buyers," he said.

He said that only those farmers who would meet the requirement of membership fee and the 50 percent down payment would benefit from the revolving fund from Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ).

Mwale has advised independent farmers to consult widely before starting to grow tobacco for the next farming season.

He said that as preparations for 2015/2016 season start, EFAZ wants to ensure that the situation of independent farmers getting stuck with produce does not repeat itself. Enditem