‘Malawi will not stop growing tobacco’
Malawi Government has said it remains optimistic about the future of the tobacco industry despite continued growing external shocks such as declining cigarette consumption globally and unrelenting pressure from the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) anti-smoking lobbies.
The country’s latest position on the future of tobacco was learnt on Tuesday during a two-day meeting of the International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) Africa where delegates from Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa discussed and shared concerns and progressive issues confronting the global tobacco business.
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Allan Chiyembekeza blatantly told delegates in Lilongwe that as it stands now, Malawi will not stop cultivating the crop due to its strategic importance to the economy.
Said the minister: “Tobacco will remain our key cash and strategic crop for several years to come, as such, government will do everything possible to give due support to the entire tobacco industry for its sustenance while protecting the vulnerable farmers.”
Since 2013, tobacco production has been picking up from 168.6 million kilogrammes (kgs) to 182.5 million kgs last year.
This year, tobacco output is expected to hit 180 million kgs. Currently, 116 million kgs of the leaf has been sold on contract and auction system, earning the country $204.3 million (about K93 billion).
Tobacco contributes 60 percent of Malawi’s total foreign exchange earnings, employing more than 20 000 farming families and has a prominent role in the national economic development and poverty alleviation programmes.
Despite the prices this year being described as fair by growers, tobacco sales have been marred by ‘no sale’ high rejection for both flue-cured and burley.
Rejection rates hover at around 32 percent from 57 percent compared to last year’s 10 percent during the same period.
Chiyembekeza, however, said government is aware of several challenges affecting tobacco farmers in general.
For instance, the minister said, government is aware of the challenges emanating from the proposed extreme measures by the WHO-FCTC which in essence proposes the abolishment of tobacco farming.
“We as government require the full support of all credible players in the industry both locally and regionally to ensure that the industry’s interests are preserved as doing so will ensure our economies remain intact,” he said.
But going forward, Chiyembekeza said it was imperative for Malawi as a country to ensure crop diversification along with tobacco to cushion the country from the shrinking demand for tobacco products.
In his strong-worded speech, ITGA president Francois Van der Merwe informed delegates that currently, there is a declining trend for tobacco products but stressed that there is no reason for tobacco growers to be negative.
He said currently, there are extreme regulatory proposals against tobacco growing which he said threatens livelihood of many innocent tobacco farmers across the globe.
“But we have to be open minded, realistic and our growers should be equipped with better equipment on global issues such as market information and production trends but of course it is not easy to get these figures,” said the ITGA president.
