The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board has registered three auction floors in Harare after some registered outside failed to attract farmers and registering sales as low as five percent in the previous season.
The tobacco selling season starts on April 7 this year with contract sales beginning a day later As part of preparations for this year’s tobacco selling season,
TIMB said Government has classified all stakeholders involved with the selling and distribution of tobacco as essential workers, rendering them the eligible to get vaccinated
The TIMB had allowed contracting companies to operate in five centres Marondera, Rusape, Bindura, Mvurwi and Karoi Appearing before the Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Settlement, outgoing chief executive Andrew Matibiri said only Tobacco Sales Floor Limited, Boka Tobacco Floors and Premier Tobacco Auction Floors had been licence for the forthcoming selling season He was giving an update on the level of preparedness ahead of the selling season.
According to Matibiri, the three auction floors were selected because they were inspected and were found to have adequate security, ablution facilities, banking facilities, health facilities, waiting areas, IT systems, backup generators, boreholes water supply systems and water tanks.
The TIMB also licensed 28 class A buyers to buy tobacco on the auction floors “Farmers will be paid 60 percent in foreign currency for their produce while 40 percent will be remunerated in RTGS dollars,” said Matibhiri
He was, however, not convincing on assuring farmers that they will receive their foreign currency money saying directives from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe indicated that farmers will receive the forex in their foreign currency account
Source: The Anchor
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