Update: Malawi's tobacco market is stabilizing despite lower earnings compared to last year, according to reports from Nyasa Times and The Nation. Six weeks into the 2026 marketing season, farmers have earned approximately K120 billion from the sale of 32.7 million kilogrammes of tobacco at an average price of $2.09 per kilogramme. While overall revenue remains 32 percent lower than the same period in 2025, crop rejection rates have improved. Rejections dropped from near total to 55 percent following meetings between Minister of Agriculture Roza Mbilizi and tobacco buyers.
On the academic front, researchers at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) have identified a natural method for protecting stored maize. A study published in the journal Frontiers on June 3 details how a combination of Neem and Tephrosia vogelii leaf powders acts as a highly effective pest repellent. The botanical mixture reduced grain weight loss by 50.4 percent compared to untreated crops, giving smallholder farmers a sustainable alternative for managing pests in post-harvest storage.