Monday, January 18, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Business Business News

We shall not intimidate tobacco buyers

by Johnny Kasalika
21/07/2012
in Business News
2 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

bruce munthali | The Nation OnlineGovernment on Wednesday vowed not to engage tobacco buyers in a battle or intimidate them in the subsequent tobacco marketing seasons over prices.

RelatedHeadlines

Banks reaping from high lending rates

Traders cheating farmers under govt watch—study

MSE value drops

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Ulemu Chilapondwa said this in Lilongwe in an interview on the sidelines of his tour of Lilongwe Auction Floors.

“If you want to encourage buyers, you have to create a good environment for them by negotiating and not intimidating them. This will be the spirit that the Joyce Banda administration will take,” Chilapondwa said.

Tobacco buyers have for the past years been subjected to a barrage of insults and criticisms, championed by former president Bingu wa Mutharika, who was accusing them of sabotaging the tobacco industry by offering poor prices at the auction floors.

Mutharika, who at times branded the buyers as “inhuman and colonialists”, at one point deported some buyers, accusing them of ignoring minimum prices for tobacco which he set during the opening of the tobacco selling season.

But setting an apologetic and cooperative tone, Chilapondwa said time had gone for government and buyers to engage in a tussle but rather work together for the betterment of the ordinary growers and the tobacco industry as a whole.

Added the deputy minister: “We will have an attitude of bringing the issues on the table and when there will be some bitter pills to swallow, those issues will have to be negotiated.”

He, however, commended the 2012 tobacco marketing season which he said has been characterised by the stability in the marketing of tobacco and also good prices.

Chilapondwa said gone are the days when tobacco growers were offered lower prices which, he said, frustrated tobacco farming by many growers.

“We saw today that prices are hitting as high as $2.70 for auction system and $2.45 or even $2.65 for contract sales. What I have seen is good quality tobacco which I urge the farmers to continue offering in the next seasons,” added the deputy minister.

In a separate interview, the Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) chief executive officer Dr. Bruce Munthali said the cordial relationship between buyers and government this year has helped calm the tobacco sales and said the situation will help to ensure timely closure of tobacco markets.

“As TCC, we are also advocating for harmony between tobacco buyers and growers, tobacco buyers and government and also between growers and government. This will enable a stable conduct of the tobacco market,” said Munthali.

Previous Post

July 20 killings cruel—JB

Next Post

Kusanthula ulamuliro m’masiku 100 a Banda

Related Posts

graph 4 | The Nation Online
Business News

Banks reaping from high lending rates

January 16, 2021
Maize prices are on the rise on the market
Business News

Traders cheating farmers under govt watch—study

January 15, 2021
Trading in progress at Malawi
Stock Exchange
Business News

MSE value drops

January 15, 2021
Next Post
The Nation Online Kusanthula ulamuliro m’masiku 100 a Banda

Kusanthula ulamuliro m’masiku 100 a Banda

Trending Stories

  • Spending more: Chakwera

    Wasteful Chakwera

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nocma in race against time

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Rot at Neef over loans

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Neef bosses, board fight in court

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Tonse owes ‘ife tonse’ an apology

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Opinions and Columns

My Thought

Don’t relax, Covid-19 still here

January 17, 2021
Political Uncensored

Maddening chaotic virus

January 17, 2021
Emily Mkamanga

Chakwera has to instill unity

January 17, 2021
People’s Tribunal

Perilous times and the need for accountability

January 17, 2021
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

WhatsApp us

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.