Rains Dampen Malawi’s 2020 Tobacco Earnings

Malawi’s 2020 tobacco selling season closed on Aug. 28 with the country realizing $173.5 million, Tobacco Commission statistics announced. According to the statistics, Malawi sold a total of 112.89 million kg of tobacco this year as opposed to 165.67 million kg sold in 2019. However, leaf prices were higher this year at an average of $1.54 per kg as compared to $1.43 per kg last year.

Tobacco Commission CEO Kaisi Sadala described this year’s growing season as a “mixed bag.” “Although prices were better this year, we traded reduced volumes of tobacco this year. Initially we had anticipated producing around 154 million kg of tobacco this season, but we ended up producing just around 112 million [kg].”

Sadala cited the general decline in production to weather impact, especially excessive rains received immediately after the second round of crop estimates.

The Malawi leaf tobacco industry has been struggling with fluctuating volumes in recent years.

Tobacco Reporter covered the country’s leaf sector in-depth in 2017.