Tama Farmers Trust has expressed optimism that the good rains this season could result in good quality leaf on the market.
The optimism comes at a time Tobacco Commission (TC) said preliminary demand for tobacco in the 2025/26 season stands at 170 million kilogrammes (kg), a 25 percent drop from last year’s 213 million kg.
In an interview on Thursday, Tama Farmers Trust president Abiel Kalima Banda said they are optimistic that the good rains have enabled growers to produce tobacco of competitive quality although risk remains.
He said: “If farmers produce low quality leaf, they will face challenges on the market. But I am convinced that most farmers will produce quality tobacco because of the sensitisation campaigns that we conducted.”
However, Kalima Banda expressed fear that non-fumigated leftover tobacco could spread pestss which could affect other tobacco.
He said: “A serious concern is that non-fumigated tobacco could find its way into the auction floor, which is detrimental.
“There is need to ensure that all left over tobacco is not allowed in auction floors unless a fumigation certificate is produced,”
In a separate interview, agricultural expert Ronald warned that carrying over tobacco to the next season was risky, considering farmers low capacity to preserve the leaf from pests.
He said although the pesticides are available, most farmers lack technical capacity to fully treat the leaf.
Chilumpha, who is the national sales and marketing manager for Farmers Organisation Limited, said most armers cannot manage to control such pests.
“For the forthcoming season, what matters is to ensure production is controlled by making sure growers adhere to their quotas,” he said.
TC spokesperson Telephorus Chigwenembe was not immediately available for comment, but earlier said preparations for the forthcoming season are progressing well and the regulator has licensed farmers to grow 242 million kg of tobacco for 2025/26 growing season.
On buyers’ demand, he said TC has licensed eight buyer from 11 last year who have committed to buy 170 million kg.
Agricultural extension services expert Leonard Chimwaza said falling demand could dampen prices as supply will likely to be high with 242.5 million kg registered volumes.
He said: “This is unfortunate. The tricky part is when demand decreases prices may fall and that is not good for the industry.
“Weaker prices result in increasing cases of smuggling. Let’s hope the other companies will come on board to strengthen competition.”
Last season, the commission licensed farmers to grow 174.4 million kg and ended up growing 221 million kg out of 213 million kg demand by the buyers, that was sold at $2.46 per kg, raising $539.4 million (about K944.66 billion).
In the State of the Nation Address delivered in Parliament in Lilongwe on Friday, President Peter Mutharika announced that almost all the 3.5 million kilogrammes of leftover tobacco was sold, raking in $8.6 million (about K15 billion).
Tobacco remains Malawi’s main foreign exchange earner and contributes about 60 percent to the country’s foreign exchange earnings and 13 percent to the economy.
