Maravi

Chief Chanje bans tobacco trade with briefcase buyers

Chief Chanje bans tobacco trade with briefcase buyers
By Christopher Miti
Thursday March 13, 2008 [03:00]

CHIEF Chanje of the Chewa people in Chipata has banned his subjects from selling tobacco to briefcase buyers that have already flooded the area. And chief Chanje has commended the Malawian government for getting rid of buffaloes that had run away from the national park. In an interview from Chipata yesterday, chief Chanje said briefcase buyers should not sway people.

“I have taken my indunas as security men to guard against the unscrupulous people who are buying tobacco before the opening of the tobacco market. I want the people to sell their tobacco to the companies that gave them loans once the market opens later this month,” he said.

He appealed to tobacco companies to open the market as soon as possible to prevent farmers from selling their commodity to briefcase buyers. Chief Chanje said people in his area were expected to have average yields this year because of the floods.

He expressed gratitude to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for abiding by President Mwanawasa’s instruction to start selling maize in the province. Chief Chanje appealed to FRA not to have a limitation on the number of bags to be sold in the area.

And chief Chanje commended the Malawian government for getting rid of the buffaloes that had escaped from Kasungu National Park late last year.

“The Malawian government sent some game rangers here to get rid of the buffaloes whose presence caused fear among my subjects,” said chief Chanje.

Labels: CHIEF CHANJE, EASTERN PROVINCE, TOBACCO

posted by MrK @ 3:18 AM