Zim to be represented at Asian tobacco expo
Saturday, 15 September 2012 23:35
Sunday Mail Reporter
The Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe (TAZ) will participate at the World Tobacco Asia 2012 Expo which runs in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, from Wednesday to Friday this week amid calls for Zimbabwe to boost exports to the huge Asian market.
TAZ president Mr Temba Mliswa said his organisation was looking at unlocking opportunities for the local tobacco industry, particularly in Indonesia, a large tobacco consumer and the fourth most populous nation in the world.
“We were part of the Africa-Singapore Business Forum from August 28 to 29 where we interacted with potential investors in the agriculture sector and we are going back to South East Asia to explore further opportunities in the key tobacco industry.
“Indonesia is one of the biggest buyers of Zimbabwean tobacco, but they are doing so through middlemen. We want to look at ways of eliminating these middlemen so that we have direct access to this massive market,” said Mr Mliswa.
“Although we are going there for the tobacco expo, we will also take the opportunity to explore opportunities for other agricultural products.”
This will be the second time that Jakarta will be hosting the event which will be held for the 40th year running.
Indonesia has the world’s fastest-developing cigarette market and 30 percent of the estimated 248 million adult population smokes, which makes Indonesia the fifth largest cigarette market in the world.
Indonesia is also a recognised tobacco friendly market with no smoking bans or other restrictions and regulations in contrast to other countries in that region.
Mr Mliswa said the Singapore business forum was successful, adding that he met three senior officials from Olam International Limited, a global integrated supply chain manager and processor of agricultural products and food ingredients.
Olam has operations in Zimbabwe which began in 2005 when it set up cotton operations.
The company currently runs a cotton-ginning model that provides inputs like planting seeds, fertilisers and chemicals on credit to small and marginal farmers.
It also provides farmers with agronomy support and then buy their crops back for cash after which it gins the seed cotton and export the lint.
“I had interactions with the Olam global managing director, Mr Sunny Verghese, the international managing director in charge of natural fibres, Jagdish Parihar, and the senior vice-president, Mr Anupam Gupta, who is also the head of the Africa cotton operations. Mr Gupta said Olam is willing to discuss cotton prices and to increase support for local farmers.
“He also said they support the country’s indigenisation policies,” said Mr Mliswa.
Labels: TAZ, TOBACCO
Read more...
Singh accuses govt of denying local transporters contracts
Written by Margaret Habbuno
Monday, May 25, 2009 3:54:09 PM
TRUCKERS Association of Zambia (TAZ) chairman Satwant Singh has accused the government of awarding transport contracts to foreigners at the expense of local transporters.
In an interview, Singh said most local companies had been forced to park most of their trucks due to lack of business and they were considering laying off thousands of workers.
"We want the government to intervene in this matter of giving contracts to foreign nations to do business here in our county at the expenses of we the local transports. Our government is too weak to protect the local transporters and currently, we have parked all our trucks because there is no business for us the local transporters," Singh said last Friday.
He said the association had written to former minister of communications and transport Dora Silliya but that she did not respond.
"On several occasions, we have written to the minister of transport and communications, in the letters we indicated the many challenges we are facing as transporters but the government has never responded to any of our letters." Singh complained.
"Right now, as I’m talking to you, I have more than 123 workers just seated outside, no job to offer them."
And TAZ vice-chairman Collins Nzovu said it was unfortunate that the government had continued to give contracts to foreigners and turned a blind eye to the local transporters.
"If you go in the roads right now, you will find foreign trucks working and not Zambian-owned trucks. 70 trucks are parked at our offices because there is no business to work on, all the business has been given to foreigners," Nzovu said.
He said there were a lot of loopholes in the transport sector that the government needed to urgently address.
"We keep on wondering if at all the continuous offer of contracts to the foreigners, most of whom are South Africans, is because the local transporters are incompetent," he said.
Nzovu said the government should protect local transporters.
"You cannot go to South Africa as a Zambian citizen to go and grab their business like they are doing it here in Zambia. The government should stop giving so much power to the foreigners. If this matter is not addressed as soon as possible, we are going to lay off 6,000 workers," Nzovu said.
Efforts to get a comment from acting communications and transport minister Felix Mutati proved futile.
Labels: COLLINS NZOVU, SATWANTH SINGH, TAZ, TRANSPORT
Read more...
Councillors in Chipata pass vote of no confidence in TAZ
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Monday August 13, 2007 [04:00]
COUNCILLORS in Chipata have passed a vote of no confidence in the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ). The councillors observed that the association did not benefit tobacco farmers in the district hence the need for it to stop operating in the area.
The council resolved to do away with TAZ at a full council meeting held last Friday.
The council resolved to do away with the association following farmers' complaints that the association was not performing to their expectation.
In an interview after the meeting Chipata mayor Sinoya Mwale said the council had resolved to do away with TAZ because it was not benefiting the farmers.
"TAZ is there to help the farmers but if farmers are complaining over its performance what can we do, so we have resolved to do away with TAZ with immediate effect," Mwale said.
He said the council would inform the Tobacco Board of Zambia TBZ about its decision next week.
"People want a local association and not TAZ that is based in Lusaka , after finishing the matter with TAZ a local association will be entrusted to run the marketing of tobacco,"Mwale said.
Recently former Chipangali member of parliament Lucas Phiri said farmers in the province were not happy with the coming of TAZ.
"I feel the coming of TAZ has no blessing from the farmers. How do you expect an association that is based in Lusaka to run tobacco market in Eastern Province? Remember they have no bank accounts in Chipata," Phiri said.
He appealed to the government to give its clear position on TAZ.
"Farmers have complained over TAZ and the complaint has been heard now government should explain the reason why they engaged TAZ instead of our local associations. People in Chanje area have made it clear that they don't want TAZ,"he said.
Labels: CHIPATA, COUNCILS, DECENTRALIZATION, TAZ
Read more...
