Local Chinese tobacco merchants seek COVID19 lockdown exemption

06 Apr, 2020 - 15:04 0 Views
Local Chinese tobacco merchants seek COVID19 lockdown exemption

eBusiness Weekly

Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Chinese tobacco merchants are engaging Government with a view to get an exemption from the ongoing national lockdown and be granted the green light to continue exporting the golden leaf.

Zimbabwe is in it’s second week of a national 21-day lockdown, which was announced by Government as a means to curtail the spread of Covid-19.

Only those in critical sectors of the economy have been allowed to continue working albeit with a skeletal staff and under strict Covid-19 mitigatory measures.

Government has also asked some sectors that feel they are an essential service to apply for exemption from the lockdown.

Players in the mining sector have benefited from the exemptions with those that submitted applications being allowed to continue operating.

In an interview, the Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe (CCEZ), said it was in negotiations with Government over an exemption.

Of late, Chinese buyers take up more than half of Zimbabwe’s tobacco produce.

The Chinese spend more than US$500 million annually on Zimbabwean tobacco purchases.

“Business has ground to a halt and it’s important we corporate with Government and expert advice,” said CCEZ secretary Jay Li.

“Our members have stopped virtually all their projects save for a few critical ones that are operating with skeletal staff.

“We are also engaging Government and all relevant authorities so that those into tobacco can get an exemption and are allowed to export their tobacco.

“This is very crucial because it will then allow them to participate in the coming marketing season,” he said.

Li, however, noted that work on the farms is continuing undisturbed in line with Government’s directive.

Together with gold, tobacco is one of the country’s leading foreign currency earners.

Unfortunately, this year’s marketing season has been thrown into disarray by the ravaging global pandemic.

The Tobacco Industry Marketing Board, has already engaged the Ministry of Health and Child Care seeking expert advice on how to proceed.

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