* I will make sure I fight for farmers because I understand that they are the key players in the realization of MW2063
* That seeks to make Malawi an independent middle income economy
By Sheminah Nkhoma & Wanangwa Tembo, MANA
At the official opening of the 2023/24 Tobacco Market at Chinkhoma Auction Floors in Kasungu today, President Lazarus Chakwera has recognised tobacco farmers as the country’s economic drivers because they generate the much needed forex for importing essential goods.
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In his speech at Vivya Primary School, Chakwera said “it is very important that to support tobacco farmers because they are the ones that generate forex for the country: “I will make sure I fight for farmers because I understand that they are the key players in the realization of MW2063 that seeks to make Malawi an independent middle income economy.”
The President condemned illegal tobacco trading by some companies and farmers, warning those involved would be hunted and prosecuted while thanking the companies that buy the leaf in the auction floors, requesting them to continue to offer good prices to farmers.
Ahead of the Tobacco Market, President Chakwera held a meeting with the industry’s stakeholders at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe urging them to continue working together in harmony to create a vibrant industry.
The Malawi leader advised the stakeholders to maintain sanity in the industry by developing quick solutions every time they are faced with challenges and also appealing to them to ensure that farmers reap the rewards of their hard work.
“Whenever faced with challenges, let’s handle them quickly,” he is reported as saying on Malawi Government Facebook page. “Let us continue the engagement, the collaboration and avoid putting spanners in the works.
While appealing to the buyers to ensure that farmers reap the rewards of their hard work, President Chakwera further urged tobacco farmers to do the right thing by growing high quality tobacco in order to get the best from buyers.
“We can’t continue producing low quality leaf and then expect to get the best from buyers. There is no need for the President standing on the podium to castigate anybody. We just have to do the right thing,” he said.
He also challenged the industry players to ask themselves why the country continues to struggle with forex issues, even when the tobacco season is over, saying: “We talk of tobacco as a forex earner, but after the season is over, you don’t see the forex.”
At the Vivya Primary School rally, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale noted that the changing of the law governing the tobacco sector has helped to increase the leaf production and assisted farmers to benefit more from their work.
Minister Kawale (in green tie)
“Tobacco farmers have grown a lot of tobacco this year because some of the restrictions have been removed hence encouraging the farmers to produce more.
“The good prices we had last season are a product of the good relationship between the government and the buyers and we expect to see the same this season,” he said.
Chairperson for Tobacco Commission, Godfrey Chapola said they would continue its intensified efforts to be a leading tobacco regulator while his counterpart at Auction Holdings Limited, Dan Makata urged farmers to prepare tobacco to meet the expected standards.
Earlier in the day, the President opened the new K930 million Tobacco Commission offices for Kasungu Division before touring a housing project for soldiers at Engineers Battalion in the district of the Malawi Defence Force.
The houses being constructed consist of 110 dwellings, with 20 for senior officers and 90 for junior officers and are part of the 10,000 houses that government is constructing for security agencies nationwide through Ministry of Lands.
Currently, the government has already handed over some of the houses, as part of its effort to provide decent housing for security agencies in the country.—Additional reporting by Maravi Express
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