Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Taonga Sabola
Published on 2024-04-16 07:56:47
The 2024 tobacco marketing season began at Chinkhoma Auction Floors in Kasungu with burley tobacco fetching prices as high as $3, marking a positive start to the season. This marked a significant improvement from previous years and brought smiles to the faces of tobacco growers who had been struggling with low prices for over a decade. It was noted that this was the first time in 88 years that the season opened outside Lilongwe Auction Floors.
President Lazarus Chakwera inaugurated the tobacco marketing season and growers expressed their satisfaction with the improved prices. Msayiwale Zacharia, who had led protests against low prices the previous year, shared his contentment with this year’s market performance. Growers attributed the positive start to the emergence of Nyasa Tobacco Company, which introduced healthy competition among buyers. The presence of Nyasa had made a significant impact, as noted by growers such as Alick Jeffrey and Samuel Lalanje, who were pleased with the prices of tobacco being sold.
During a visit to the market, President Chakwera emphasized the importance of having more buyers in the tobacco market to create competition and ensure fair prices for growers. He commended the efforts of all involved in making the market competitive and expressed optimism for continued success. Nyasa Tobacco Company’s Chairperson, Konrad Buckle, acknowledged the role of the government in supporting farmers and creating an environment conducive to their success.
President Chakwera addressed the issue of forex shortage in the country and stressed the need for increased production for exports. He emphasized the importance of taking practical steps to generate foreign exchange, including supporting tobacco growers who contribute significantly to the country’s forex earnings. Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale also praised the President for fostering good relationships with buyers to benefit the farmers.
Before officially opening the tobacco marketing season, President Chakwera inaugurated new Tobacco Commission offices in Kasungu. The new offices were equipped with modern facilities to improve service delivery for both growers and commission staff. This move aimed to make transactions easier and more accessible for tobacco farmers in the region.
Despite challenges such as dry spells in certain tobacco-growing areas, Malawi is expected to produce 140 million kilograms of tobacco in 2024, slightly below the market demand of 190 million kilograms. This was attributed to factors such as good prices offered the previous year, availability of inputs, and an increase in the number of growers. Overall, the positive start to the tobacco marketing season in 2024 was a promising sign for the industry and the country’s economy.
Read the original article on The Times
