Weakened kwacha provides price-boost for Malawi’s Burley growers

Malawi tobacco growers were pleased on Monday with the opening of the 2013 tobacco marketing season as prices, buoyed by the weakening of the kwacha, looked good, according to a story by Dumbani Mzale for the Malawi Nation Online.

In early sales, Burley fetched from US$0.90 per kg (K360) to US$2.30 (K880) per kg.

Most tobacco growers at the Lilongwe Auction Floors were excited at these prices and pleaded with tobacco merchants to maintain them for the rest of the marketing season.

Most of the tobacco delivered during the early part of the auction season will comprise lower leaf, which is generally of lower quality than the rest of the tobacco.

President Joyce Banda, who officially opened the marketing season after touring the auction floors, described this year’s crop as being almost twice as big as last year’s – very small – harvest, and of good quality.

She said there had been continuous dialogue between herself, government representatives and all stakeholders in the tobacco industry, resulting in a broad ownership of the reforms that had been introduced, including the Integrated Production System.