Govt finds hope in dark-fired tobacco
Malawi will scale up its efforts to boost the production and quality of dark-fired tobacco, which is on high demand on the international market, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Allan Chiyembekeza has said.
The minister was speaking recently when he visited Mtowe Tobacco Farmers Club in Nsanje.
He said the tobacco, which has high nicotine levels, is not only on high demand, but also fetches a higher price than burley or flue-cured tobacco.
“Having noted that there are farmers who are growing this type of tobacco in the country, we took pride to come and visit them [farmers] to encourage them and appreciate what they are doing.
“We are impressed with the efforts that these growers are investing in this type of tobacco and we will do everything possible to boost their yields,” he said.
Chiyembekeza said Malawi government has already identified a buyer, Premium Tama, to buy the tobacco at fair prices and will provide good seeds to such farmers.
“This is a special crop and has a special market. We are also aware that these farmers have been looking for good quality seeds to produce quality tobacco, we have since secured good quality seeds for their production purposes,” he said.
Concurring with Chiyembekeza, Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) chief executive officer Bruce Munthali was upbeat about the future of dark-fired tobacco saying the tobacco will be used to upgrade nicotine levels of low nicotine leaves.
Said Munthali: “Electronic cigarettes do not demand leaf products, but nicotine, which is what the international market is now looking for with the growing anti-smoking lobby.
Majority of smokers look for nicotine in tobacco. This tobacco has a nicotine level of between 8 to 15 percent hence it will be used to blend with low nicotine tobacco to upgrade the levels in the low nicotine leaf.”
He said the commission, jointly with government, is striving to bring a formal and stable market for the product to motivate farmers to produce more as they have a ready market.
Simon Julius, chairperson of Mtowe Tobacco Farmers Club, expressed optimism for the plans set by government, saying they only hope that government will commit to the promises made to them (farmers).
Meanwhile, tobacco growers’ earnings from the sales of tobacco at the auction floors are expected to drop by $62 million following poor sales and reduced prices experienced on the market this year according to TCC.
Tobacco sales are expected to earn the growers just $300 million by the end of sales in a few weeks’ time, down from $362 million they realised last year.
So far, Malawi has raked in $256 million from the green gold. Last year, Malawi produced 168 million kilogrammes of the leaf while this year’s production is expected to be lower at just above 150 million kilogrammes.
