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Edgar Vhera Agriculture Specialist Writer
TOBACCO farmers want the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) administer a compliance administration framework that stipulates the provision of a comprehensive input package by contractors to farmers for their upliftment and success of the 2023/24 season.
This was said by Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe yesterday commenting on preparations for the production season which started on June 1.
“Contractors must not only provide a complete physical input package to farmers but must also include working capital.
“Giving farmers inputs without provisions for labour will not help the growers but tempt them to sell some of the inputs to pay workers. This affects productivity,” said Dr Makombe.
Dr Makombe said the input costs must be stated at the time when farmers sign the contracts rather than later when farmers bring their crop for sale on the market.
There have been complaints from some farmers this season over the contractors’ failure to reveal the actual costs of inputs during distribution only to charge exorbitantly during marketing.
Some farmers said they were charged US$ 100 per 50 kg bag which was double the market price.
Zimbabwe Tobacco Growers Association chairman Mr George Seremwe said they received outcries from farmers who felt short-changed as the goods delivery note which was supposed to be signed by growers did not show the costs of the inputs.
“Farmer goods delivery note ought to have prices for the different categories of inputs by the time of despatch to them,” said Mr Seremwe.
Section 7. (1) of Statutory Instrument 77 of 2022 of the Tobacco Industry and Marketing (Prohibition of Side Marketing) Regulations, says every contractor shall provide to the board details of the support extended to a contract grower.
During the 2022/23 season, TIMB and contractors signed a compliance administration framework in the middle of the season that set the minimum input package to be given to farmers.
However, the input package was quantity-based only with no value attached to it thereby exposing farmers to machinations of contractors at marketing time.
This did not give TIMB time to monitor the provision of the package from seed bed to land and finally curing.
For the next season, farmers are demanding that TIMB starts monitoring and enforcing contractors as early as June when they start to give farmers inputs for seed establishment.
Meanwhile, TIMB public affairs officer Mrs Chelesani Tsarwe yesterday said her organisation was geared up for a successful season.
“Contractors have started submitting their applications for contracting licenses and TIMB will sit to adjudicate.
“To ensure a successful season, the contractor’s administration framework is stipulating the minimum standards for a contractual relationship as well as minimum farming input packages farmers should receive so as to facilitate equitable dealings,” said Mrs Tsarwe.
She said TIMB and other industry stakeholders will be facilitating farmer education to increase efficiencies and reduce production, harvest, and post-harvest losses.
leeroy
Online Reporter