Parliamentary committee pushes for regulation in tobacco growing

The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Corporations and State Enterprises has urged the Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) to ensure that farmers produce only the required volume of tobacco.

Speaking on Wednesday when TCC management appeared before the parliamentary committee, the committee vice-chairperson Aboo McNice Naliwa said the TCC report indicates that the country under-produced by 45 percent last year.

He said: “So I suggest that you concentrate on how you can control the volume produced to ensure that farmers benefit from the crop but also the country at large should benefit.”

In his response, TCC chief executive officer Kayisi Sadala said the commission has put in place systems to ensure the country does not under produce or overproduce.

He said: “Through farm and crop management systems, no one can grow tobacco without registering; hence, we are able to control the volume of tobacco that farmers grow.”

Sadala acknowledged that the demand for tobacco continues to decrease yearly following the World Health Organisation (WHO) anti-smoking lobby.

According to TCC report, in 2017 the country under-produced by 45 percent which the commission has attributed to the pulling out of farmers from tobacco growing following lower prices on the market in 2016.