By Chimwemwe Mangazi:
The Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) has said it is engaging tobacco buying companies to consider increasing their planned quota for this year’s marketing season.
This follows revelations that buyers are looking for 152 million kilogrammes (kg) of the green gold this year against a first round tobacco estimate of 166.8 million.
Last year, the buyers bought 202 million kg of tobacco against a planned 171 million kg.
TCC Chief Executive Officer, Kaisi Sadala, said the lobbying is one of the strategies they are employing to have all the tobacco that will be produced sold at the market.
“You will recall that last year we were able to bring in another buyer Watergen Africa Limited from Ukraine. Because it was their first year, they bought very little. But, this year, they are buying more tobacco. We are also making efforts together with the government to attract other buyers and we are optimistic that, by the end of the buying season, we will be able to have attracted others.
“We have also approached the existing buyers to consider buying more despite the reduced volumes they showed us and there is willingness and commitment from most of them,” Sadala said.
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