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Growers hope for stable prices
By
Ayam Maeresa - 05-04-2002 |
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Tobacco growers yester-day expressed optimism that the opening prices of the leaf at Lilongwe and Limbe auction floors would remain stable throughout the selling season.
Tobacco Association of Malawi (Tama) president Albert Kamulaga said in an interview in Limbe after the opening of the floors there that the sales have this year started on a better note compared to last year.
“If the prices we have seen today continue, definately there is hope for the farmer,” said Kamulaga, who was flanked by some Tama councillors from the Southern Region.
Lilongwe Auction Floors opened on Tuesday, registering a highest price of US$1.80 and a lower price of US$0.60.
At the Limbe Auction Floors, growers were able to sell for as high as US$2.00 at the opening of the sales yesterday.
“We expect prices to be firmer by the third week of the sales,” said Kamulaga, who is also president of the International Tobacco Growers Association Africa Region.
According to him, growers are at the moment presenting the lower leaf, also known as ‘bottom’ and is not the high quality grade.
He said when the top quality leaf is later presented at the floors, growers expect to see better prices.
Growers, he said, have this year improved on tobacco presentation at the floors compared to last year when there was a lot of wet and mouldy leaf.
Tama councillor for Area 2 covering Chiradzulu, Thyolo and Phalombe districts Harold Chikaluma described the prices as reasonable and a fair deal for the grower.
“If this trend continues, I see no reason for the grower to export the leaf this year,” said Chikaluma in direct reference to the new government policy which allows producers to export their tobacco directly.
A weekly cumulative summary of the tobacco sales from April 3 to September 4 last year shows that 8,260,942 kilogrammes of Flue Cured were sold at an average price of US191.88 cents and realising US$15,850,878.93.
A total of 115,288,377 kilogrammes of burley were sold at US109.77 cents average and realised US$126,553,297.14.
The least traded tobacco was Sun Cured that sold only 250 kilogrammes at US151.24 cents average price and realised US$378.10. |
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