The Tobacco Association of Zambia ( TAZ) has predicted that this year's tobacco production will go up to top 15,000 tons thanks to more growers and improved planting methods, local media reported Friday.

TAZ director Jewette Masinja was quoted by Zambia Daily Mail as saying that tobacco sales in Zambia have seen a significant increment in the last few years from 3,000 tons in 1999 to 13,000 tons last year and the momentum is well maintained.

Masinja attributed the increase to additional membership from small and medium scale growers and improved methods including new varieties of growing tobacco as demanded by the international market.

He however bemoaned lack of cheap sources of finance, sudden appreciation of local currency kwacha that has resulted in increased production cost, and failure by some farmers to pay back loans.

Flagging-off the 2006 tobacco marketing season recently, Agriculture Minister Mundia Sikatana said tobacco farmers should recognize that loans always need to be repaid in full.

He said the government would take action against those tobacco farmers who failed to pay back loans, warning that they risked being blacklisted.

Source: Xinhua