Tobacco Farmers Cry

Source from:  The Monitor (Kampala) Jonathan Akweteireho 01/13/2005

Tobacco in Bunyoro is rotting in farmers' stores after the British American Tobacco Uganda (Batu) stopped buying the crop. The farmers are appealing to the government for help. Bunyoro has been a major tobacco supplier for decades. Masindi LC5 Secretary for Production, Ms Mary Mujumura, said farmers were desperately stuck with the harvested tobacco. "It is terrible and unacceptable. I have joined my farmers to fight the war which may not be easy for them," she said on Tuesday. Her counterpart in Hoima district, Mr Ali Babi, said the situation was terrible and some farmers were in despair. But Masindi district Batu officer, Mr Erisa Matovu, said Ugandan tobacco had been rejected on the world market. "It is clear the world market rejected Ugandan tobbaco especially the air-cured from Bunyoro and Mubende. Their tobacco can't meet international standards. So we stopped buying it since December 24 last year," he said. However the farmers accused Batu of not alerting them to stop production. Enditem