Hoping for better prices

Malawi’s all-types tobacco production is estimated to have dropped by 12 percent this season, according to a story on Journalducameroun.com.
The country is thought to have produced 149 million kg during the 2017/18 production season, down from 171 million kg during the 2016/17 season.
The Tobacco Control Commission’s CEO, Kayisi Sadala, said on Wednesday that growers had not produced enough tobacco this season to meet buyers’ demand.
He attributed the production decline to natural causes. “The country faced natural disasters like prolonged dry spells in the southern part and erratic rains in the central region where tobacco is largely produced, hence the output drop,” Sadala was quoted as saying.
The upside of this is that the Commission is optimistic that the forces of demand and supply will lead to a smooth marketing season.
There was hope that this year’s leaf would attract better prices than those of previous seasons, when supply was high and demand was low, Sadala said.
The 2017/18 tobacco marketing season is expected to open on April 11, with farmers due to deliver their crops to the Kanengo and Lilongwe auction floors.