Tobacco Board of Zambia TBZ has finally secured market for 1.1 million kilogrammes of tobacco stuck in sheds in Chipata.
TBZ Chief Executive Officer, Samson Muyembe confirmed this to Breeze News, stating that this follows a trip he made to Malawi yesterday.
Mr. Muyembe says that a Malawian company, Premium Tama will start collecting the tobacco in Chipata next week after which it will assess the quality of the crop.
He says that Premium Tama is expected to make payment for the crop within the next three weeks, which will allow TBZ to pay farmers, who are owed in Eastern Province.
And Mr. Muyembe revealed that TBZ has made a huge loss in selling the 1.1 million kilogrammes of tobacco to Premium Tama.
He however, says that the board has no choice but to sell the cash crop because it has been stuck in the sheds for a long time without market.
TBZ has been under pressure from farmers who sold their crop to the board in Eastern Province to pay them.