Peasant Farmers Reject Reduction of Tobacco Output

Source from:  The Times of Zambia (Ndola) 10/09/2004

THE National Association for Peasant and Small Scale Farmers of Zambia (NAPSSFZ) has rejected any calls to reduce tobacco production warning that such a move would throw hundreds of people out of employment. Association president Rodger Phiri said in a statement yesterday that tobacco also had a higher gross profit margin compared to a good number of other agricultural products. Mr Phiri said the tobacco association had, under its umbrella, employed hundreds of workers and as such reducing production would create unemployment and poverty among the rural community. "Small scale farmers, the beneficiaries of government funded outgrower schemes cannot afford to cut down tobacco production in the face of poverty because tobacco growing does not only promote growth but equitable growth in order to promote exported agriculture and employment creation," Mr Phiri said. Mr Phiri said the association wished to support government diversification programmes to small scale farmers so as to phase out the tobacco industry slowly, adding that sudden cut down on tobacco production would result in economic suicide. Mr Phiri said the national association would ensure small scale commodity associations were not intimidated or forced to surrender the legitimacy to manage tobacco floors in rural areas as long as commodity associations met International Tobacco specifications floors standards. Enditem