High tobacco rejection rate and low prices anger Minister Lowe
Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe this morning paid an unexpected visit to Kanengo Auction Floors in Lilongwe where business had come to a standstill as farmers protested high rejection rates and poor prices the buyers offered for the green gold.
The tobacco market was temporarily suspended over what farmers complained to be “continued low prices on offer”.
Lowe rushed to the floors after being tipped about the development. He said he found some buyers offering as low as 50 cents per kilogramme, which is below the government’s set minimum prices for the crop.
“This is sad that currently farmers are getting as low as 50 cents on their tobacco. What we are asking is to simply adjust the prices upwards,” he said.
Lowe urged the buyers to comply with the country’s laws in dealing with the farmers by offering improved prices for the leaf.
But the buyers seemed not ready to bulge as they insisted that the leaf on offer is of low quality; hence, even the offered 50 cents is just there as a ‘favour to the farmers.
AHL Sales Chief Executive Officer Graham Kunimba said the rejection rate has hit 70 percent. He said this is alarming.
Kunimba asked the buyers to increase their prices.
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I think Hon Lowe you have now realized that APM was not on the wrong because when you were in the opposition you have been blaming DPP regime that they were doing nothing and that they were conniving with the tobacco buyers to steal from farmers. What about today if we claim you are in those shoes you claimed before will that fair on your side? So to me i think in the first place before expressing dissapointment it could have been better to first apologize to the former regime for all sorts allegations made against it and later express… Read more »
Why is the minister coming now when what is being offered is the low quality tobacco remaining to be offered?? Alfred ask what a MERIT Sale is when it comes to tobacco being offered and ask where the pricing comes from???? TC will actually give a nod to the minimum bench mark for merit sales and $0.50 herein referred is not below the set minimum. No buying company gets away with buying tobacco below minimum price you can ask The Tobacco Commission and Auction Holdings tobacco sales department.. The problem we have is to always find fault where there’s literally… Read more »
azungunso ayamba kutibera chonchi? nde kodi tithawira kuti?