This year’s tobacco market will not open today at the Limbe Auction Floors as earlier scheduled. The official opening has instead been shifted to Friday, April 21.
The Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) has since confirmed the changes.
While not divulging details that necessitated the shift, TCC Acting Chief Executive Officer, David Luka, however, confirmed that the depot has received enough quantities for this year’s sales.
The country’s tobacco marketing season opened last week Tuesday at Kanengo in Lilongwe.
“There is a slight change in the programme but all is set for the opening of the Limbe market on Friday. Farmers are still bringing in their tobacco although the pace has been slow,” Luka said.
However, expectations from the growers remain high in terms of prices after the opening of Kanengo and Chinkhoma markets in the central region.
On the first day of the market at Kanengo, the minimum price for the tobacco on offer was $0.80 per kilogramme, while Chikhoma registered a minimum price of $1.40 per kilogramme.
On the first day of sales, the country’s green gold earned a total of $300,249.
The first day earnings were 53 percent better than the $199,953 realised on the first day of the season last year.
The market further traded a total of 257,425 kilogrammes as compared to 199,368 kilogrammes sold on the first day last season.
On average, a kilogramme of tobacco attracted $1.17 on Tuesday as compared to $0.98 recorded on the first day of trading last year.
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