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gone down well with farmers who feel it is aimed at disempowering them while serving the interests of a few individuals and other companies.
MTC indicated last week that it will stop tobacco sales at its Karoi and Rusape floors at the end of this month to avoid losses induced by unviable low tobacco volumes presently coming in.
Contrary to claims that MTC was closing the floors, the managing director of the company Mr Kenneth Langley said they were only stopping buying tobacco as volumes had dipped significantly making further operations unviable.
Farmers in Hurungwe district contend that they were contracted by MTC.
Farmers who spoke to The Herald at the MTC Auction Floors last week said the floors had brought convenience and reduced exposure to thefts and robberies associated with travelling to Harare to sell their crop.
“There has been increased circulation of money in Karoi town with most of us happy that finally the floors have come closer home.
We had seen a significant reduction in transport cost while there is no congestion here,” said Emmanuel Chitsvaru of Peta farm in Hurungwe.
Another farmer Noah Manyevere said aggrieved companies should also seek to emulate MTC and set up shop in the tobacco growing areas and offer better prices.
“We were given fertilisers and coal to use in curing our tobacco by the same company that has also come to our doorstep to bring convenience to us farmers.
“As farmers we are also happy with the way they buy the tobacco because you can actually converse with them unlike in Harare where they are blabbering (auctioning) and you don’t even hear what they are saying,” said Mrs Pauline Chikazhe.
Chief Chanetsa, Adam Katsvere, said the setting up of the auction floors was the best thing to have happened to farmers since the land reform programme.
Farmer Never Gasho said farmers were being taught to grow the crop and there had been a significant improvement in the quality and quantity of the crop in the district.
He urged companies to go an extra mile to ensure farmers have the best.
Efforts to get comment from Tobacco Industries Marketing Board were fruitless.
Online Reporter