Tobacco Growers Mad with Bingu

Source from:  by Taonga Sabola, 03 May 2006 - 06:34:39  05/09/2006

Tobacco farmers have expressed disappointment over what they described as President Bingu wa Mutharika's about-turn on tobacco prices saying it could have been better had the President said nothing on the issue. Mutharika, who in March went against advice from economic analysts to impose US$1.10 (K148.50) as a minimum price for low quality tobacco and US$1.70 (K229.50) for the top grade, on Monday said he never fixed tobacco prices. Addressing a gathering of workers during the commemoration of the International Labour Day in Lilongwe, Mutharika said he only instituted reserve prices. Mutharika had earlier indicated that he was ready to be called a dictator to protect local farmers who, he said, were being exploited by the system. The President's change of tune comes amid tobacco buyers' apparent defiance of his directive to buy tobacco within the agreed set prices. Growers interviewed on Tuesday said Mutharika's change of statement is a betrayal. Stephano Wailo of Migowi in Phalombe said he received the news of Mutharika's change of tune with great shock. "At first we thought we had a government which is caring and now we don't know what our government is up to," said Wailo. Another grower, Michael Piyasoni from Ngwelero EPA in Zomba, argued that the President's recent statement will only help in deepening the problems of the growers. Both Tobacco Association of Malawi (Tama) Executive Secretary Felix Mkumba and Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) General Manager Godfrey Chapola were not available for comment. Tobacco prices have been a bone of contention in recent years with growers feeling that buyers were giving them a raw deal. Enditem