Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Times News
Published on 2024-04-17 06:52:45
Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale expressed concern over the low tobacco production this year and stated that the government would work with farmers to improve production levels. He made this statement during the opening of the annual tobacco market at Lilongwe Auction Floors, where he noted that President Lazarus Chakwera had officially launched the market at Chinkhoma Market in Kasungu the day before.
Despite the decrease in production, Kawale was pleased with the tobacco prices at the market. He attributed the decline in production to factors such as climate change and fluctuating market prices in recent years. Kawale emphasized the need for farmers to adopt irrigation methods and encouraged more farmers to enter the tobacco industry through the mega farms program to address these challenges.
The government also plans to engage with farmers to make amendments to the Tobacco Act to address the issues faced by farmers in the industry. This year, Malawi is expected to produce 140 million kilograms of tobacco, falling short of the demand of 190 million kilograms by 50 million kilograms.
Abel Kalima, President of the Tobacco Association of Malawi Trust, expressed satisfaction with the starting prices at the market but noted a slight disparity between the lowest and highest prices. He hoped for better price improvements as higher-quality tobacco entered the market. Kalima mentioned that the reduction in production was due to discouraging prices in recent years, leading many farmers to abandon tobacco farming.
According to research by the Mwapata Institute, the share of Malawian crop farmers producing tobacco decreased from 16 percent to 5 percent between 2004 and 2019, with the share of tobacco in the total crop production value also declining sharply.
Moffat Gama, Managing Director of Japan Tobacco International, stated that this year’s prices were fair considering the high demand for tobacco. He acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers due to climate change and rising input costs and pledged continued support from his company to the tobacco industry.
Kumbireni Msokora, a farmer from Dowa District, expressed optimism about market prospects and expected higher profits compared to the previous season. He believed that the current prices would enable farmers to invest in inputs for the upcoming growing season.
As of Tuesday, 6,487 bales of tobacco were already at the Lilongwe Auction Floors. On Monday, the highest prices reached $3.03 per kilogram at the opening of the Chinkhoma market. By Tuesday, the highest price was $3 per kilogram, while the minimum price was $2 per kilogram.
Overall, the government and stakeholders in the tobacco industry are working together to address challenges faced by farmers and improve production levels to meet the demand for tobacco in Malawi. Through collaborative efforts, they aim to ensure a sustainable and thriving tobacco industry in the country.
Read the original article on The Times
