CPL urges sorghum growers to honour contracts

Opaque beer brewer Chibuku Products Limited (CPL) has asked farmers it contracted to grow red sorghum to honour the contractual agreements.

In a bid to reduce imports of raw materials it uses in brewing Chibuku Beer, CPL came up with a programme that supports local farmers to grow red sorghum which the company buys during the harvesting season.

CPL corporate affairs manager Wise Chauluka said the company gives farmers red sorghum seedlings through farmers groups on contract agreement to sell the produce to CPL.

The brewer uses red sorghum to produce a red colour that distinguishes Chibuku beer from other opaque beer products.

Said Chauluka: “The harvesting season for red sorghum is on and we are urging all farmers to ensure they take care of their products and sell them to us.

“We are ready to buy all the red sorghum local farmers have produced this year and we are buying through our distribution points across Malawi.”

For the first time, CPL will buy 1 000 metric tonnes of red sorghum from local farmers, reducing the quantity it imports every year.

Chauluka said last year they bought less sorghum from the farmers because of erratic rains which affected output.

He, however, lamented the deliberate breach of contract by some farmers who sell the produce to vendors.

Currently, the company is supporting about 5 000 farmers across Malawi with red sorghum seedlings and Chauluka said they are planning to increase the number of beneficiaries.

Chauluka said red sorghum is a scarce product and needs to be promoted because it is a crop that has export potential.