By Mercy Matonga
Farmers Union of Malawi (Fum) has called on President Peter Mutharika to intervene in the ongoing situation at the tobacco market, where buyers are reported to be offering low prices for the crop. This is according to a statement released by the union on Monday.
The statement has been signed by president Maness Nkhata.
“The commencement of the 2025-26 tobacco marketing season has painted a deeply troubling picture for tobacco farmers in Malawi, with unprecedentedly high rejection rates of tobacco bales and insultingly low prices being offered by tobacco buyers,” she says.
The statement also says the union is concerned and not satisfied with the reasons the Tobacco Commission and the government have provided as to why tobacco is being bought at lower prices and why many bales are being returned.
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“We see this explanation as a clear sign of gross incompetence, especially because one of the commission’s core mandates is precisely to regulate the market and prevent such situations,” the statement reads.
Fum recommends that the presidency should meet with all tobacco buyers to reaffirm the strategic importance of tobacco to the country’s economy.
“The Tobacco Commission should consider recertifying buyers that have recently left the market, and the Ministry of Agriculture should call [for] an inclusive meeting with all tobacco industry stakeholders to collectively address the challenges facing the marketing season,” the statement says.
The 2026 Malawi tobacco marketing season officially opened on April 20, 2026, with opening sales at Kanengo in Lilongwe showing an average price of $2.13 per kilogramme (kg) in the first week.
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The Tobacco Commission projects total production at 197 million kg, exceeding the estimated demand of 170 million kg, a development that has raised concerns over lower prices, particularly for lower-grade leaf.
Tobacco remains Malawi’s primary foreign exchange earner, accounting for roughly half of the country’s total exports.
Due to falling global demand, the government and stakeholders are accelerating efforts to transition smallholder farmers from tobacco to more sustainable and profitable crops, supported by new agricultural centres.
