BLANTYRE (MaraPost)–While tobacco growers in Malawi are complaining that prices being offered on the market are on the lower side as compared to the cost of production, the country has raked in over 13.3 million dollars since the tobacco market opened two weeks ago, against 6.8 million dollars the same period last year.
According to Tobacco Control Commission (TCC), the tobacco volumes for the first two weeks hit 11.19 million kilograms against last year’s 5 million.
The volumes and revenue from this year’s tobacco sales have exceeded that of last year same time by 100 percent.
However, the average price remained on the lower side being at 119 cents as compared to 126 cents in the same period last year.
Last month, tobacco sales at Limbe Auction Floor in the commercial capital Blantyre, were suspended over low prices.
Tobacco growers claims that are too low for them to make profits.
The past few years the Malawi tobacco industry has seen a hike in Non-Tobacco Related Material (NTRM) in bales sold at auction.
According to TCC, NTRM in form of plastic, feathers, eggs, sand and metals has been on the rise in recent years.In reaction to this, Malawi’s Tobacco industry has embarked on zero-tolerance to unclean tobacco whether intentional or due to mishandling.-MARAPOST.