By 
Chipangali District Council Chairperson, Mackson Nkhoma, has called on the government to urgently intervene and protect the interests of tobacco farmers following challenges in the 2025 marketing season, where some licensed companies have reportedly failed to purchase tobacco.
Nkhoma alleged that his office undertook physical inspections of several tobacco marketing floors in Chipata and Lusaka after receiving numerous complaints from farmers across Eastern Province.
In a statement issued from Chipangali on Sunday, Nkhoma said the checks revealed serious issues affecting farmers’ ability to sell their produce.
“At the Chipata main tobacco floors, most companies licensed by the government have stopped buying tobacco, which has caused panic among farmers who have not yet sold their crop,” Nkhoma said.
He added that at the JTI Baobab tobacco floors, the JTI company was close to reaching its purchase target for the 2025 season despite many of its contracted farmers still having unsold tobacco.
“Data collected from farmers shows that some JTI field officers have allegedly been colluding with tobacco vendors to sell tobacco under the names of contracted farmers without their knowledge. This has left genuine JTI farmers stranded outside the company’s offices in Chipata,” he revealed.
Nkhoma also reported that farmers contracted by the Tobacco Trading Company (TTC) were stuck with over 2,000 bales of unsold tobacco, as the company had failed to purchase any this season due to reported financial difficulties.
In Lusaka, a visit to the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ) Main Floors revealed that only one company, Hail & Cotton, was actively buying tobacco, mainly from Eastern, Central, and Western provinces.
“Other companies have stopped buying tobacco due to various challenges, leaving over 200 trucks loaded with tobacco stranded in Lusaka,” Nkhoma said.
He stressed the urgent need for the Ministry of Agriculture and the Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ) to step in and provide immediate solutions.
“Given the magnitude of these issues, it has become exceedingly urgent for government to intervene. The Ministry of Agriculture must act quickly to resolve the marketing crisis affecting tobacco farmers,” he said.
Nkhoma further expressed concern over the apparent disconnect between TBZ and the realities facing farmers.
“I have noted with grave concern that the Tobacco Board of Zambia is detached from the plight of farmers. If this situation remains unchecked, it could lead to the collapse of Zambia’s tobacco industry,” he warned.
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