More than 30 tobacco farmers under Leaf Tobacco and Commodity Company in West Nile have started a hunger strike over none payment.
The farmers claim that Leaf Tobacco and Commodity Company owes them shillings 60 million for tobacco supplied last year.
Trouble started last year when Leaf Tobacco and Commodity Company collected 14,198 tones of unsold Tobacco from five marketing center without informing the farmers.
When the farmers learnt of this, they petitioned the company for payment in vain forcing them to open a police case in October.
Police investigated the matter and ordered the company to value the tobacco and pay the farmers. Since then, the Tobacco Company has not paid the farmers forcing them to announce a hunger strike in protest.
Tony Guma, the spokesman of the angry tobacco farmers says that they have gone throw a lot of suffering because of the none payment of their money.
Guma says that they incurred a lot costs in following their payment from Leaf Tobacco Company.
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Christopher Adia, another farmer could not hide his disappointment.
He says if the company does not pay them before the end of the hunger strike they have planned to bring members of their families and dump them at the company offices in Arua.
He says that they have resorted to tough measures since the company has refused to negotiate with them and pay them in installments.
Ronald Acidri, the Area Leaf manager downplays the farmers strike saying that they have started negotiations with the farmers and district leaders.
Acidri says that the farmer's tobacco was irregularly picked up saying that they are doing everything possible to address their concerns.
Cyprian Ogwang, Arua district tobacco inspector says despite the fact that the farmers have agreed to the negotiation they have refused to call off the strike until an agreement is reached.
Ogwang says that according to his investigations LTC owes the farmers money and should pay them without any further delays.
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This is not the first time tobacco farmers are up in arms against tobacco Leaf and Tobacco Commodities Company over none payment of their produce.
Last year the farmers again threatened to demonstrate over delays to pay their money by the same company.
