Malawian farmers are bracing for a sharp rise in agricultural input costs as the Fertiliser Association of Malawi warns of a significant increase in fertiliser prices. According to Nation Online, the price hike is driven by shipment disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The association's executive administrator, Hannah Makhambera, reported that international nitrogen fertiliser prices have surged by 50 to 60 percent, while phosphate fertilisers have increased by up to 25 percent. Local retail prices for a 50-kilogramme bag have already reached K180,000 in some outlets, with projections suggesting they could soon exceed K200,000. The geopolitical supply chain issues have also forced local businessman Napoleon Dzombe to suspend the April opening of his new fertiliser manufacturing plant in Dowa District, as essential raw materials remain stuck in transit.
In the tobacco sector, the Tobacco Commission's first-round crop estimates project a national output of 214 million kilogrammes, which sits 20.5 percent above the initial buyer demand forecast of 170 million kilogrammes. Nation Online reports that the overproduction has sparked worries over market stability and quota enforcement. Tobacco Commission board chairperson Reverend Timothy Nyasulu stated that the regulator will tighten oversight to ensure farmers adhere to their production quotas. However, agricultural extension expert Leonard Chimwaza cautioned that the excess supply could suppress market prices and consequently drive an increase in cross-border smuggling.