Tobacco growers in North Macedonia are meeting Minister of Agriculture Cvetan Tripunoski today to discuss leaf prices, reports Sloboden Pecat. A meeting with buyers is scheduled for Nov. 4.
“We are not satisfied with the current price, which is at last year’s level, i.e., MKD375 [$6.58] for the first, MKD300 for the second and MKD260 for the third-class purchased tobacco,” said Kiro Risteski, president of the Union of Tobacco Growers Associations of Macedonia.
“On Monday, we have a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Cvetan Tripunoski. We think that we will find good cooperation, and on Nov. 4, we will have a meeting with the buyers. Our goal is to achieve a higher price for tobacco, to maintain production, to keep young people working in tobacco, because according to statistics, the average age of tobacco producers is over 50 years old,” said Risteski.
Tobacco growers in North Macedonia expect to bring about 17 million kg of good-quality tobacco to market this season. Buyers, however, had signed contracts with farmers for 26 million kg.
The market opens following a mixed growing season. Too much moisture at the start of the production process delayed planting. Subsequent drought boosted quality but reduced yield. Rains toward the end of the production season again boosted volume. Growers planted more than 13,000 hectares this year.
This year, 10 licensed companies will be buying tobacco.