The Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) has said it is impressed by the general quality of the crop being sold at this year’s tobacco market.
Chief Executive Officer of TCC David Luka said when compared to other countries, the quality of tobacco in Malawi is far much better.
He added that the Malawi gold is being bought at a better price unlike last season.
“Everything is going smoothly as the crop is fetching better prices when compared to last year and the quality of the tobacco is excellent as compared to other countries,” said Luka.
As of Thursday last week 1.3 million Kgs of tobacco had been sold at an average price of $1.35/Kg, according to Auction Holdings Limited.
Luka said the average price for the first week is higher than that of last year during the same period.
He added that most of the tobacco is being accepted. Luka however hoped that the situation will continue.
For a long time tobacco farmers have been crying foul over tobacco prices that made them not to benefit from their sweat.
But various quarters have been urging the farmers to diversify in their farming saying the worldwide anti-smoking campaign will lead to lower prices being offered to farmers or even a global tobacco ban.
The current tobacco selling season was opened by President Peter Mutharika last week.
Myself I don’t smoke but I can not believe the issue of saying tobacco will be banned in the whole global , We Malawians we depend of agriculture and I urge the government to improve agriculture sector especially in daily products and and cotton, ground nuts , sorghum and maize in the river banks of shire river , even agronomy we can improve in that sector even poultry farming we can also improve in that sector I totally disagree with this so called poverty our country can achieve more if we learn to work together and change our mind set the way we think and the way we see things above all if we can learn to do partnership in business that we will move forward, I love my country MALAWI