Tanzania: Tobacco Farmers Set For Bumper Sh45 Billion Harvest

Posted on :Saturday , 16th April 2016

Chunya — Tobacco farmers in Chunya District are hoping for a bumper harvest with projections to rake in Sh45.24 billion in the 2015/16 farming season.

Chairman of the Chunya District Tobacco Cooperative Union (Chutcu) Omary Iswijilo said yesterday a significant number of buyers had already placed orders for the golden leaf.

At a general meeting held by the cooperative, he expressed optimism that despite the myriad problems affecting the farmers, the current and 2016/17 farming seasons were likely to be profitable to farmers in the district.

Chunya is one of the areas where tobacco is a key source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of people.

But farmers in the district decry the lack of a clear pricing mechanism for their product saying it is denying them their full dues on the auction floor.

"We call on the government to address the twisted pricing system because it is affecting overal production," said Mr Iswijilo.

Farmers also complained over the poor distribution of inputs, which they say is not consistent.

"There are unncessary delays in the release of inputs and this is affecting farmers in a big way," said Chutcu general manager Bakari Kassia.

He blamed the situation on sred tape in obtaining loans from financial institutions

"This problem exists on the part of banks that set stringent conditions for purchasing the inputs. The whole system takes long. However, we will rectify the situation to ensure that farmers are not inconvenienced."

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