The Tobacco Commission (TC) has announced the closure dates for the 2025 tobacco selling season, following what has been described as one of the most successful trading periods in recent years.
According to Telephorus Chigwenembe, spokesperson for the Commission, most of this year’s tobacco crop has already been sold, prompting the planned phased closure of auction floors across the country.
“The first to close will be Limbe Auction Floors on Friday, August 8,” Chigwenembe confirmed. “Chinkhoma will follow on August 15, Lilongwe on August 20, and finally, Mzuzu on August 29.”
This year’s selling season will have spanned 21 weeks, with the Commission expressing satisfaction over the smooth operations and the significant volumes traded.
“We’ve seen strong performance this season, with the highest volumes recorded in the past six years,” Chigwenembe said. “This progress shows that Malawi is on track to reach its strategic target of producing 200 million kilograms of tobacco annually by 2030.”
The Commission attributes the increase in volumes to improved participation and favourable market conditions, and is now calling on more Malawians to consider joining the tobacco production value chain.
“There is strong demand for our tobacco on the international market,” Chigwenembe added. “To meet that demand, we need to increase production, and we’re encouraging more growers to come on board.”
Tobacco remains one of Malawi’s top foreign exchange earners, and the success of the 2025 season signals a positive outlook for the sector’s contribution to the national economy.
