Higher quota promised

Malawi’s minister of agriculture, irrigation and water development, Kondwani Nankhumwa, has assured growers that the government would increase their production quota to meet demand.

As the 2019 tobacco marketing season nears its end, some growers have reportedly been unable to bring their tobacco to the selling floors because their production quotas have been exhausted.

To date, Malawi growers have sold 147.2 million kilograms at all four tobacco selling floors against the required demand of 149.6 million kilograms.

Tobacco Commission (TC) CEO Kayisi Sadala said all bonafide growers who produced tobacco beyond their allocated quotas by more than 10 percent would have to apply for quota uplift at the commission.

The Limbe, Chinkhoma and Mzuzu auction floors will stop selling tobacco on Sept. 13 while Lilongwe is expected to close on Sept. 18, 2019.