Staff reporter
Some farmers have complained that they are not receiving their money from top tobacco companies. Some farmers alleged that they had not received their money until they threatened to take their tobacco back.
.The Director of Boost Africa Tobacco Mr Machini denied that they had failed to pay farmers. “I am actually hearing that from you” he said. This was corroborated by an insider in another company who said “the problem is farmers are used to being paid in hard cash so when this does not happen they say they are not being paid but their cash is being paid to their bank accounts”
However some farmers had a different story. “We were only paid after we threatened to take our tobacco back. Banks are having trouble providing cash for our payments “said a farmer who requested anonymity. It is taking too long to receive this money”
Banks have been facing cash shortages owing to the acute cash shortages the country is currently experiencing. Despite government asking banks to prioritize paying tobacco farmers, the situation remains critical.
Sources in another company blamed the situation on the new RBZ bank regulations that allow the central bank to keep some of the money that is being sent to Zimbabwe.
‘Our benefactors sent money for our operations but the RBZ kept some of the money. This is why we are failing to pay our farmers’ said the source.
The RBZ has introduced a raft of measures to ease the cash crunch but some of the measures have been hindering operations of some businesses.
