Update: Malawi's tobacco marketing season has generated $12.8 million from the sale of 5.97 million kilograms in its first two weeks, reports Nation Online. The crop is fetching an average of $2.16 per kilogram, and buyers have offered up to $2.80 per kilogram at the Mzuzu Auction Floors. However, Nyasa Times notes that rejection rates remain a primary concern for farmers, with Mzuzu recording a 69 percent rejection rate. The high rejection rate is attributed to a significant oversupply, as Malawi's projected tobacco output of 197 million kilograms exceeds the buyer demand of 170 million kilograms. Tobacco Farmers Association of Malawi Trust president Abel Kalima-Banda acknowledged that buyers are honouring price agreements but urged further action on the rejected crops.
In other agricultural developments, Minister of Agriculture Roza Fatch Mbilizi commended Mzuzu University on Wednesday for its Smart Centre and Mega Farm initiative, according to AfricaBrief. The university has dedicated over 100 hectares to maize production and is currently expanding its operations to include seed production and cassava farming. This expansion aims to address national food security and soil degradation by shifting from theoretical learning to practical agricultural output.