Zambian growers felt betrayed by prices

Two thousand Zambian tobacco growers have become members of the Western Tobacco Growers’ Union (WTGU), which was officially registered as a society on August 15, according to a story by Gift Chanda and Stuart Lisulo for the Zambia Post.

The farmers’ union was formed after a season in which growers were paid poor prices on the back of low demand.

The tobacco producers were said to have felt betrayed when the country’s auction floors opened with very few offers and some of those as low as 30 cents per kg for the lowest grades.

Farmers said the lowest grades of tobacco should have fetched 90 cents per kg.

The WTGU, which is in the process of affiliating to the Zambia National Farmers’ Union, has been set up to protect the interests of tobacco farmers.