Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has disclosed that over 49,000 licenses have been issued to tobacco growers by Tobacco Commission (TC) through the tobacco registration and licensing exercise conducted up to 30th September 2023.
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This translates to 239.2 million kilogrammes licensed quota.
During the previous season, a total quota of 188,165,365 kilogrammes were licensed.
Addressing journalists in Lilongwe on Monday, Kawale said the figure will increase as there is high demand for more people to register in order to grow tobacco.
“More farmers are willing to register with the Commission as the new process can be done without a fee, but shall be deducted after tobacco sales during next season,” he said.
Kawale expressed excitement saying the country’s tobacco has now been recognized at international level.
“The better prices that were offered during the 2023 season coupled with the licensing initiatives that my ministry directed the Commission to introduce have led to overwhelming response from the tobacco growers,” he said.
The minister therefore directed the Commission to further extend registration and licensing exercise to tobacco farmers up until 17th November 2023.
