Tobacco Commission (TC) has announced that the new Tobacco Industry Act will punish tobacco farmers for poor growing practices. TC Central Region division manager Patricia Kasamale said that some growers use unacceptable practices when growing the crop; hence, the law will deal with those malpractices.

According to Kasamale, The Act provides for a fine of K2 million for failure to uproot tobacco stalks, since if they are not uprooted, they become the hub of diseases from one season to another. “For the industry to grow, growers need to follow best agricultural practices and uprooting the stalks is one of them. If they don’t do this, it means our tobacco is not meeting international standards. So, we are keen on this to ensure growers comply.”

The strict measures by the new Act follow a high rejection rate, registered at 70% at Mzuzu Auction Floors, following Limbe Action Floors that registered 48%. Explaining the massive rejection rate, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Grey Nyandule Phiri, blamed the tobacco farmers for mixing their tobacco grades and high moisture content.

Meanwhile, a subsidiary of AHL Group called TIL moved in to help tobacco farmers manage their tobacco grading processes, a development aimed at easing the high rejection at selling floors in the northern region.