Uganda: Batu to Spend Sh7b in Buying Barley Tobacco in Bunyoro

Source from:  New Vision (Kampala) April 3, 2006 04/04/2006

BRITISH American Tobacco Uganda (BATU) is to inject over sh7b in buying barley tobacco in Bunyoro region. The company is also targeting to buy 5.8 million kilogrammes of the crop, up from 1.6 million it bought last season. "We are determined to have quality tobacco this season. We shall pay farmers over sh7b, and we are confident of meeting the 5.8 million kilogramme target," Glenn Sheppard, the BATU's managing director , said on Friday. Sheppard was taking Fred Tumwesigye, a BATU board member and other officials on a guided tour of the region. Sheppard said BATU had regained international market because farmers had been sensitised about the dangers of foreign matter in the tobacco. He said BATU has committed workers, who were doing a good job, which he said would not allow the company to make more losses like in the previous years. Sheppard said BATU had registered 10,700 farmers and had given them over sh7b in loans. He said BATU would also buy good quality tobacco from farmers who may have a surplus. Tumwesigye decried an unethical competition from other tobacco buying companies. "We have appealed to the Government several times on this issue but we have not received any reply. We shall continue reminding the Government," Tumwesigye said. Enditem