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The Agricultural Research and Extension Trust (Aret) says technology development and transfer is crucial to improved tobacco yields and quality.
Aret executive director Eric Chilembwe said this on Friday during the organisation’s field day at Kasuma in Mzimba.
He said research has shown that farmers are failing to fetch better prices on the market due to low yields and quality of their tobacco since most of them are using poor varieties and following poor agricultural methods.
“This is why we are holding these field days. It is time we addressed these challenges [of low yield, quality] by disseminating information on the new technologies we have developed. We want the farmers to adopt these technologies because we know that once they do that they will improve the quality and yields of their tobacco,” said Chilembwe.
The Aret boss explained that the organisation has observed that some farmers are still reluctant to use Aret grade varieties because of the wrong impression that they require more inputs.
He also applauded government for the fertiliser subsidy programme which, he said, has rescued smallholder tobacco farmers from the high cost of farm inputs.
Tobacco Association of Malawi (Tama) councillor for Area 19 Harvey Nyasulu explained to the farmers that high yields do not necessarily come from a big land but from following the right agricultural practices.
“It is imperative that as farmers we move ahead with technology. Let us plant disease resistant and high yielding varieties which Aret is offering and let us follow modern ways of growing tobacco as advised by the Trust,” he said.
Nyasulu, who is also managing director for Khuyu Estates, urged the farmers to desist from putting plastics and other objects in their tobacco saying this does not only affect the prices of the tobacco but also the image of the industry in the country.
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