Malawi: Tobacco Rejection Rate Declines

Source from:  Malawi24 05/12/2016

The Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) says there has been a decline in the rejection rate of tobacco at the country's auction floors.

TCC planning and research manager Hellings Nasoni said there has been a slight change in the rejection rate.

"We have seen an improvement in the rejection rate though there are differences in various markets," he said.

According Nasoni, the rejection rate at Lilongwe Auction Floors has dropped to 60 percent from 80 percent, in Limbe it was at 80 percent but now it is at 63 percent whilst Chankhoma was at 60 percent but now is at 40 percent.

He added that Mzuzu Auction Floors has not had a change because the market was opened late.

However, Nasoni said the cash crop has raked in $16 million since the opening of the market which is lower as compared to the same stage last year when over $20 million worth of tobacco had been sold.
Nasoni has attributed the decline to the late opening of the market and to the fact that most of the tobacco has been sold through auction system than contract system. Enditem