Government assures tobacco farmers of improved price in 2024

Agriculture Minister, Sam Kawale has assured tobacco growing farmers in the country to expect a good improved price in this year’s marketing season.

Kawale made the remarks on Tuesday in Lilongwe during the official launch of the Nyasa Tobacco Company which took place at the Company’s offices in Kanengo.

The Minister further highlighted that the opening of the Company is great development as it will help to encourage tobacco growing in the country and in return, bring forex in the process.

“Government is always interested to see more companies or stakeholders coming on the auction floor because the more companies joining the market, the better the prices will be because of competition and the more our farmers benefit  and the better the economy is going to grow.

“With the coming in of Nyasa Company,  the Ministry would like to assure the farmers to expect great returns because they are the biggest stakeholders. Last year we engaged the farmers in discussion concerning the prices and this year we did the same, so starting from this season farmers will experience a good improvement, in terms of price” said Kawale.

Chairperson of Nyasa Group of Companies, Konrad Buckle expressed happy with the government’s commitment in tobacco farming hence promised to help in assisting farmers to get the fair value for the tobacco.

“Our main vision is to try and establish market presence on behalf of government and make sure farmers gets fair value,” said Buckle.

Nyasa entered the tobacco market towards the end of the tobacco marketing season last year and hit a record of with the highest price on burley tobacco at 3 dollars 6 cents (3.06) respectively.