Mbeya starts settling delayed payments to tobbaco farmers

TOBACCO farmers in Chunya District, Mbeya Region, have started receiving their payments after delay due to shortage of dollars, it has been revealed.

Payment to the farmers was delayed for over 30 days as relevant authorities attributed the delay to shortage of foreign currency (US dollar) in the local financial institutions.

Following the shortage, some farmers and members of Parliament have been proposing modes of payments to be converted into local currency, so as to solve the problem.

“The foreign currency is now available in Mbeya and the payments are in progress,” Chunya District Commissioner (DC), Mr Mayeka Simon, told the ‘Sunday News’ yesterday.

However, the payments are not yet done to tobacco farmers in Shinyanga region, with Deputy Chairperson for Kahama Cooperative Union (KACU), Mr Tano Sabi, also proposing that the payments be done in Tanzanian Shilling.

He said usually the farmers are supposed to be paid within 14 days.

Responding, Tobacco Board Chairperson, Mr Victor Mwambalaswa, assured that the payments would be carried out within five days with effect from Friday.

He also cited shortage of foreign currency as reason behind delayed payments. However he noted that the financial institutions have already solved the problem.

Delayed payments challenge is also facing tobacco farmers in Tabora Region, despite the recent Regional Commissioner Dr Batilda  Buriani order to fast-track the process.