Malawi has so far realised $218.7 million from sales of its top forex earner, tobacco, figures have shown.
Figures from AHL tobacco sales show that as at the end of eight weeks of sales, a total of 76.9 kilogrammes of all tobacco types had been sold at average price of 2.85/kg.
This is compared to the same time last year, when 61.4 million kilogrammes of all tobacco types were traded at an average price of $2.26/kg, from which the country earned $138.7 million.
The figures further show that the weekly burley tobacco average price increased by 1.4 percent, at an average price of $2.94/kg in week eight, compared to $2.90/kg recorded in week 7.
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“The upward surge of the average price of burley tobacco was attributed to the higher prevalence of high-quality bolded leaf styles being offered on the market currently, compared to light and soft natured bottom leaf styles offered at the onset of the season last year,” the sales report from AHL Tobacco Sales reads.
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Speaking in April when he opened this year’s tobacco marketing season at Vivya Primary School Ground in Kasungu, President Lazarus Chakwera said the solution to forex shortage in the country lies in working hard to produce for exports and not just talking.
According to Chakwera, Malawi has many people who just talk but do not get down to business to generate forex.
He said time had come to move from rhetoric to being practical in the generation of forex, including supporting tobacco growers who produce forex for the country.
