Tobacco Buyers Given 24 Hours to Submit Price Matrices
The Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ) has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to licensed tobacco buyers who have failed to submit their price matrices, warning that non-compliance will not be tolerated ahead of the marketing season.
The directive comes after 12 out of the 16 licensed buyers missed a previously agreed submission deadline set during a meeting held last Wednesday. To date, only four buyers have complied with the requirement.
TBZ Executive Director, Robert Mwale, stressed that the submission and approval of price matrices is a mandatory prerequisite before any tobacco purchasing can begin.
“The current situation is unacceptable and places unnecessary pressure on all stakeholders in the tobacco value chain,” Mr Mwale said. “No buying should commence until the Board has reviewed and approved the price matrices. This is non-negotiable.”
He further expressed concern that operations had already commenced at the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ) sales floor without an approved price matrix, describing the move as regrettable and contrary to the Board’s regulatory mandate.
“This development jeopardises our responsibility to protect growers and ensure orderly marketing of the crop,” he added.
Mr Mwale noted that the Board is working to review all submissions promptly but emphasised that only price matrices reflecting the true cost of production will be approved.
This, he said, is critical to ensuring that farmers receive fair value for their labour, while also safeguarding the financial interests of buyers.
In the interim, TBZ has directed all buyers who have already begun purchasing tobacco without approved price matrices to cease operations immediately until formal approval is granted.
The Board has also instructed that all approved price matrices must carry an official TBZ date stamp and be displayed at all licensed sales floors nationwide to promote transparency and compliance within the sector.
