Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc has officially commenced its 2026 sugar production season at both the Nchalo estate in Chikwawa and the Dwangwa estate in Nkhotakota. The season started nearly a week ahead of schedule, Maravi Express reports. In a statement released on April 24, Managing Director Ronald Ngwira said the company will focus on safe production. He added that Illovo will work with stakeholders to prevent market leakages and illegal exports to protect the domestic sugar supply.
Update: The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development has officially released the 2025/26 minimum farm gate prices, setting maize at K900 per kilogramme. This price translates to K45,000 per 50-kilogramme bag, according to Nation Online. The new rate is a drop from last year's K1,050 per kilogramme and falls short of the K1,200 price proposed by the Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM). FUM President Manes Nkhata criticized the gazetted price as a raw deal for growers, warning that the lower rate could discourage farmers and reduce national production.