By Alick Junior Sichali
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Tobacco producers at the Limbe Auction Floors have accused some buyers of engaging in unscrupulous practices to rip them off.
The concern has come at a time when authorities at the floors have declared current trading as satisfactory compared to the situation last season.
According to the farmers, some buyers deliberately shun good quality leaf and opt for inferior grades just because they want to offer low prices.
This, the farmers said, is contrary to what happened on the market’s first day when producers fetched good prices for their crop.
“Buyers now are engaging in unscrupulous practices which is affecting the prices of tobacco despite being of good quality, this is different as to the prices we had during the first day of the market and this will affect us to not have more profits,” Some of the farmers stated in an interview.
However, Tobacco Control Commission regional manager (south) Willard Singo, believes the market is progressing well compared to the same period last year.
Singo said unlike last season, very little tobacco has been rejected at the floors in nearly five weeks of trading.
He said the average selling price during the period has been 1 dollar 80 cents per kilogramme
