MWE Correspondent
Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe issued a strong directive to tobacco-buying firms across Tanzania: settle your debts to farmers — more than US$5 million in total — by October 30, 2025.
The announcement came during a special meeting that brought together farmers, government officials, and industry players to discuss the future of the tobacco sector. For many growers in the region, this was not just another government pronouncement — it was a lifeline.
Bashe emphasized that the government will no longer tolerate companies that delay or withhold payments from farmers after collecting their produce. “Farmers work hard under the sun to feed this nation and power its economy,” he said. “It is unacceptable that they continue to struggle while others profit from their sweat.”
Alongside the directive, Bashe also unveiled efforts to register all tobacco farmers and introduce a crop insurance system designed to protect them from losses caused by pests, market fluctuations, or climate challenges. He said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure fairer and more sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.
Meanwhile, Tabora Regional Commissioner Paulo Chacha took an even firmer stance. He requested that the tobacco firms report to nearby police stations until they fully pay the money owed to farmers. The measure, he explained, is meant to ensure accountability after repeated complaints from growers about companies dodging payments and failing to cooperate with regional leaders.
Chacha’s message resonated with the frustration felt by many. “For too long, our farmers have been ignored and mistreated,” said one tobacco grower from Urambo. “We plant, we harvest, we deliver — but payment never comes on time. Maybe now things will change.”
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The tobacco sector has long been central to Tanzania’s economy, providing income to thousands of smallholder farmers, especially in Tabora, one of the country’s top-producing regions. But it has also been plagued by issues such as market exploitation, delayed payments, and lack of access to financing.
Bashe’s intervention reflects growing government determination to fix these long-standing problems and rebuild trust between farmers and companies. The introduction of agricultural insurance is also seen as a major step toward modernizing farming practices and reducing the financial vulnerability of rural communities.
As the sun set over Tabora’s golden plains, farmers who had gathered for the meeting expressed cautious optimism. They spoke about preparing their fields for the next planting season — but this time, they hoped to do so with money already in hand.
For them, Bashe’s deadline isn’t just about debt repayment. It’s a signal that their voices are finally being heard — and that perhaps, after years of waiting, fairness might finally take root in Tanzania’s tobacco fields.
