Crisis at tobacco auction floors

them to mosquitoes and the danger of contracting malaria.
Women said they were not comfortable with the arrangement as there was no privacy.
Others complained that they were bringing their babies who needed better shelter than tents.
There are two tents at the auction floor, one for men and another for women.
Women were complaining that there was no security and anyone could enter the tent.
Rusape farmer Mrs Norah Chibisa said they were afraid of losing their belongings due to the compromised security.
Macheke farmer Mr Leonard Saiti said he had no option but to sleep in the tent.
“I came on Monday and had not registered so I had to sleep in the tent. At least we have lights and the payment system is efficient I will not have to spend many days in this situation,” he said.
Millennium spokesperson Ms Kholiwe Mudakureva said management at the auction floor was working towards improving facilities.
“Since the visit by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Lands, Irrigation and Water we have improved accommodation facilities.
“We have secured mattresses so that farmers do not sleep on the grass. We have also fumigated the tents to kill mosquitoes,” she said.
The auction floor had indicated that farmers will be accommodated in buildings but said this later changed to tents.
MTF senior official Ms Kudzayi Hamadziripi said the floor was renting the premises at Transtobac and did not have buildings for accommodation.
“Transtobac had promised to give us accommodation but later changed as their tenant refused to leave the premises,” she said.
On security, Ms Hamadziripi said MTF had since engaged the Zimbabwe Republic Police, hired private companies and had internal                        security.
“We have stopped issuing cheques to farmers on the open space and now they collect them from the offices,” she said.
The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board this season gave licences to auction floors that had accommodation, proper ablution facilities, security, safe clean water sources, clinic and alternative energy sources among other things.
The increase in the number of tobacco floors was expected to help improve the welfare of farmers at the auction floors.
This year all auction floors have improved their payment system and few farmers are spending more than two days at the floors.