During the 2024 tobacco selling season in Malawi, the Tobacco Commission (TC) reports to have confiscated a significant 81% of tobacco due to nesting.
According to TC’s Public Relations Officer, Telephorus Chigwenembe, the confiscations were carried out under the authority of the Tobacco Industry Act.
Confiscated tobacco is being rehandled and will be sold under regulatory oversight, with penalties imposed on offending farmers who admit guilt in writing.
Chigwenembe noted that while most farmers cooperated, some disputed the confiscations by refusing to admit wrongdoing.
The TC expressed satisfaction with overall farmer cooperation despite the challenges posed by nesting, defined in the 2024 Tobacco Industry Act as the deliberate concealment of stems, scraps, or loose leaves to deceive buyers regarding quality or quantity.
As of July 22, out of 3,420 confiscated tobacco bales, 2,772 (81.1%) had been sent for rehandling. The 2024 selling season commenced on April 15, with three of the country’s four selling floors already closed; the final floor, Mzuzu, is scheduled to close on August 2.
