A one-day Malawi tobacco industry conference, seeking to discuss data management vis-a-vis tobacco leaf integrity and other issues, is set to he held this Friday in Lilongwe.
To be held at Ufulu Gardens, the 2023 tobacco industry conference will be attended by the Tobacco Commission (TC), tobacco buying companies, grower associations and research institution, ARET, among others.
TC public relations officer Telephorus Chigwenembe said the annual conference takes place when Malawi steps up her efforts to consolidate her position as the producer of the world’s most preferred tobacco, especially the burley type.
“Industry regulator, the Tobacco Commission, is optimistic delegates to the conference will subject data management practices in tobacco to rigorous discussions to ensure improvements that will make Malawi tobacco more compliant with global standards.
“Among others, data management of high standards in tobacco facilitates traceability, which is key in fighting child labour and other social ills associated with the production of the crop,” he said
In 2023, 120 million kilogrammes of tobacco was sold, up from 85 million kilogrammes sold in 2022.
This season, the Tobacco Commission has since licensed more than 248 million kilogrammes of the leaf in a registration and licensing process that goes up to the end of January.
The Tobacco Commission envisions an annual production of 200 million kilogrammes by 2028.
