Govt to bring a relief to tobacco farmers in the country

The government has entered into the agreement with the government of Vietnam whereby the latter will come and buy 1,000 tones of cured tobacco leaves from farmers in the country. The deputy minister of agriculture Dr. Mary Mwanjelwa has said today in parliament that, this is an opportunity which opens the market potential for farmers in the country and has asked farmers from the 11 best tobacco producing regions in the country to make use of the opportunity. The minister was responding to the question which was earlier raised by Tabora North legislator Almasi Maige (CCM) who wanted to know how the government has prepared the markets fir the tobacco crop growers in the country. The deputy minister has also asked growers to follow the laid down procedures of crop growing and said that the government has its optimum spacing of about 250 trees to be planted in an acre of land with a view to protect environment according to the newly reviewed agricultural laws and that this should not be exceeded. 

Dr. Mary Mwanjelwa

She also urged farmers to use the modern technology of preserving the tobacco leaves and asks them to build modern curing burns so as to cope with the technological advancements of promoting the crop which is highly grown in Tabora region. The minister was responding to the question raised by a special seat legislator Rehema Juma Migila (CCM) who wanted to know the development of the tobacco crop and appropriate measures taken so far in order to promote farmers to ensure high productivity. In a supplementary question raised by Nape Nnauye (CCM) of Mtama constituency who wanted to know efforts by the government to avail tobacco seedlings in respective growing regions, the deputy minister said that her ministry has already prepared 13 million seedlings which have been distributed in various research centres for sale. Richard Mbogo (CCM) of Nsimbo constituency reminded the deputy minister of the controversial saga between TLTC Company which had bought cured tobacco leaves from the local farmers in southern highland regions. In responding to this, the deputy minister said that the company must honour the contracts as the tobacco crop is a seasonal crop and must be settled on time.