A representative of tobacco farmers did not mince words but tell President Lazarus Chakwera that tobacco prices being offered on auction are very low, compared with other neighboring countries.
The farmer, Msayiwale Zakaria from Chamama in Kasungu district engaged Chakwera at Lilongwe Auction Floors during the official opening of the 2023 tobacco selling season.
“The prices being offered are very low compared to our neighboring countries. For example, we are being offered $1.15 per kg on auction which is way below the recommended price. This is the same price we were being offered during Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s era, there is no improvement,” said Zakaria while querying Chakwera on who is the last person in the chain of command to consider tobacco farmers by raising the minimum price to be at least $1.50.
In an interview, Chakwera said he observed that farmers on auction do not follow proper procedures when handling the leaf, a notion which Zakaria disagreed with.
Zakaria said companies on contract farming are deliberately decreasing the prices for auction so that farmers should join the contracts which most of them rejected.
In his address later, Chakwera appealed to all stakeholders to support the tobacco farmers whose products sustain the economy.
“That support includes buying their products at fair prices, because buying tobacco at unfair prices does harm to our economy. Alternatively, buying the tobacco at decent prices motivates and empowers our tobacco growers to continue increasing the quality and quantity of their products going forward, which means it’s a win-win transaction.
“Additionally, by buying tobacco at fair prices, we encourage others to venture into farming as a productive and prosperous vocation, especially young people, whom we need to see more of in this sector. By young people, I mean youthful adults, not children, because the use of children and minors in any aspect of tobacco farming is a crime that my administration will not tolerate,” he said
