The tobacco marketing season started on Monday in Lilongwe with the main cash crop being sold for up to US$2 per kilogramme.
According to Auction Holdings Limited, the highest price for auction tobacco burley on the opening day was US$1.90 per Kg while for contract burley the highest price recorded was US$2 per Kg.
However, some farmers sold their crop for as low as 80 cents per kilogramme.
About 149 million Kilograms of tobacco are expected to be sold at auction floors across the country this year but there is a demand of 171 million Kilogrammes.
Speaking when he opened the 2018 tobacco marketing season in Lilongwe on Monday, President Arthur Peter Mutharika called for good prices so that tobacco farmers should make profits.
He said farmers should earn more money in order to stop depending on loans.
Chinkhoma Auction Floors in Kasungu opens tomorrow, while Limbe Auction Floors in Blantyre opens on April 16.The Mzuzu Auction Floors opens on April 23.
