Tobacco farmers in Zemba area of Chadiza district complain of poor buying prices and delayed payment.

Tobacco farmers in Zemba area of Chadiza district have complained of poor buying prices and delayed payment.
The farmers are also not happy with the system, which the tobacco merchants are using to pay them.
The farmers have charged that there is lack of transparency in the whole exercise as the companies are subjecting them to huge deductions despite not owing the companies.
One of the farmers, Joseph Banda alleged that one thousand kwacha rebased was deducted from his payment when he did not owe the company any amount.
Mr. Banda further complained that the companies are not sticking to the agreement that payment should be made within seven days after a farmer has sold his produce.
And another farmer, Francis Mvula complained of spending days at sheds without getting payment while the buying price is low compared to buying prices in Lusaka.
He said that while companies in Eastern Province are buying the crop at between 7 and 10 Kwacha per kilogramme, those in Lusaka are buying at 33 Kwacha per kilogramme.
But CJ Tobacco Company Manager for Zemba Scheme, Lenard Banda dispelled all the complaints from farmers stating that the company is paying cash immediately after buying the crop.