Government has commended tobacco buying companies for buying all the crop produced in 2025 despite an oversupply.
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Honourable Roza Fatch Mbilizi expressed the sentiments this during the opening of the 2026 tobacco marketing season in Lilongwe on Monday.
In 2025, the Commission registered a trade requirement of 213 million kilogrammes. However, 221 million kilogrammes was sold, an excess of eight million.
“I therefore appeal to these companies to extend similar support this season by purchasing all tobacco produced, thereby sustaining the industry and ensuring farmers receive fair returns on their investments,” implored the Minister.
While grateful to buying companies, the Minister challenged the Tobacco Commission to moderate production quotas to avoid over production scenarios.
“Managing crop size must now become a priority. We cannot rely indefinitely on the goodwill of buyers,” the Minister noted.
“Going forward, strategies must be implemented to align production levels with market demand.”
Tobacco Commission Vice Chairperson, Commissioner Mrs Ebbie Mathanda, reminded farmers about the need to comply standards set for afforestation, soil and water management, child labour and forced labour in the tobacco industry.
“This year’s theme should remind us all that today, we cannot think of transforming our economy if we do not align our industry to the requirements of those that buy our tobacco,” said the vice chairperson.
“The future of Malawi’s tobacco industry will not be determined solely by global trends but by how we respond to them. Our industry has to be market responsive.
“A market responsive tobacco industry today is not just meeting the quantitative demand of the product but demonstrating that our production and the whole value chain are clean, that is through environmental stewardship and effective human rights safeguards.”
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