Contractor buyers are reported to have prejudiced tobacco farmers of between $3 million to $4 million by underpaying them for the tobacco. Some of the companies which have been accused of underpaying farmers include Ethical Leaf Tobacco, Boost Africa and Agritrade Leaf Tobacco. The Zimbabwe Farmers Union has since taken the case to its lawyers. The executive director of ZFU Paul Zakariya said,
I can confirm a prejudice was established but I cannot go into details because the lawyers are deciding on how we should proceed with the matter.
Another official who spoke to Business Weekly said,
As we speak there are serious negotiations going on as to how much money could be compensated to the affected farmers but preliminary calculations are suggesting that an amount of between $3 million and $4 million…But they have been given two weeks to pay of the lawyers will pursue the matter at courts.
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