Tobacco marketing season starts on low note in Kasungu
Tobacco growers at Chinkhoma in central region district of Kasungu are expressing concern that the tobacco marketing season started on a low note on Monday with an average of 90 cents per kilogram, the reserved minimum price.
Auction Holdings Limited (AHL) is offering up to 4 000 bales of tobacco for sale.
The farmers talked to by Nyasa Times said the lowest was the 90 cents minimum price per kilogram whilst the highest was US$1.70 per kilogram.
However, the contract farming tobacco fetched higher with the maximum price of US$2 per kilogram and the lowest was at US$1 per kilogram.
Principal secretary in the ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Nyandule Phiri attributed the low prices at the start of the Chinkhoma tobacco market to lowly graded tobacco.
“The prices were low because the tobacco was mixed. The tobacco was lowly graded which should be avoided,” he said.
Nyandule Phiri also urged the buyers not to strict themselves to the minimum prices, saying some of te tobacco which fetched low prices was of high grade.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :