Tobacco Commission sees rise in tobacco output
The Tobacco Commission (TC) says the seedbed area and planned hectarage for the green gold has increased in the 2023/24 farming season, a development that raises hopes for increased output this season.
TC’s nationwide assessment shows that seedbed area has increased by 22.5 percent while planned hectarage has also increased by 37 percent.
In a statement, TC chief executive officer Joseph Chidanti-Malunga said the only concern now is delayed rains.
He said: “We are happy that farmers plan to produce more tobacco this year because this is what the country needs.
“We are just worried about the apparent delays in the rains, but we look forward to favourable weather conditions to translate the planned hectarage into actual production.”
Tama Farmers Trust chief executive officer Nixon Lita said in an interview on Monday that there is growing interest by farmers to grow tobacco this season due to good prices offered last season and poor performance of competition in the 2023 tobacco sales season.
“There is an increased global demand for tobacco such that farmers are assured of a confirmed market,” he said.
In the 2022/23 farming season, Malawi raked in $282.6 million (about K480.4 billion) from 120 million kilogrammes (kg) of tobacco at an average price of $2.35 (about K4 000) per kg.
This was a rise from $182 million (about K309.4 billion) from 85 million kg of tobacco sold at an average of $2.14 (about K3 600) per kg last season.
