Eight to Buy Tobacco This Year

Source from:  by Tadala Makata Kakwesa, 12 March 2007 - 05:59:19  03/14/2007

Eight companies are expected to buy tobacco from growers at the auction floors this year when sales start on March 26, 2007, it has been learnt. This means that there will be three more companies than last year's five. Auction Holdings Limited (AHL) general manager Evans Chipala said in an interview the development follows the registration of three more companies to participate in tobacco auctioning. According to Chipala, the companies to participate are Limbe Leaf Tobacco Limited, Alliance One, Premium Tama Leaf, Malawi Leaf, Africa Leaf, Premier Leaf and two other companies whose names he could not disclose. He said out of the two companies, one is local whilst the other is international. He described the development as healthy for the industry as, he said, prices are likely to improve. "We are hopeful that there will be competition and improvement on prices this year despite having a small crop," said Chipala. Chipala said preparations for the sales have started that at Limbe Auction Floors with registration and booking almost full while registration at the Lilongwe Floors is expected to start today. "I would also like to urge the farmers that before delivering their tobacco, they should make sure that all documentation and all relevant arrangements have been done," he said. Chipala also advised the farmers to notify AHL if they have changed banks or if they are still using the old ones as failure would lead to delay of their payments. Enditem