Malawi sales season set to start in March

Malawi’s tobacco selling season is due to open in the middle of March, according to a Zodiak Malawi story quoting the Tobacco Control Commission (TCC).

The TCC chief, Dr. Bruce Munthali, said that tobacco sales at Lilongwe, Limbe and Chinkhoma would start during the second week of March, while the Mzuzu auction floors would open in April.

Last year the country sold only 79 million kg of tobacco, far below the 237 million kg sold during 2011.

But Munthali said he was “very optimistic” that tobacco production this season would be double that of last season, partly because of the helpful rains that had fallen.

There was hope, too, that Malawi would produce quality tobacco, he added.

Munthali has appealed to farmers to take care of their tobacco and avoid mixing it with non related materials; so as to reduce rejection rates.