Malawi: Low Tobacco Yield Forecasted in 2016

Source from:  Star Africa 01/13/2016

The Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) has predicted low yields for Malawi this year due to dry spell which is likely to affect the crop across the country.Speaking in Lilongwe on Tuesday, TCC Chief Executive Officer, Albert Changaya said most parts in the country have not yet received rainfall since December, raising fears that Malawi might experience a sharp drop in the production of tobacco.

"The crop might be heavily affected by the situation if it continues and this worries us because it will also affect the quality thereby earning very little as country," he observed.

He added that the team will deploy the assessment team by next week to examine the situation whereby the results are expected by the end of January.

Malawi depends on tobacco as its major exchange earner, accounting for over 15 percent of its annual GDP.

The country, the twelfth largest tobacco producer in the world earned $337.3 million in revenue from the commodity last year. Enditem