Tobacco farmers cry in smoke


By Kondwani Nyondo 

The Tobacco Commission officially closed the 2025 tobacco marketing season on Friday after granting an extension. 

However, hundreds of contracted farmers in Mchinji are still stranded with unsold leaf, raising fears of heavy losses in the country’s main foreign exchange earner.

Our investigations have established that farmers under Associated Central African Limited, Hell and Cotton, Premium Tama, and Alliance are among those still holding onto unsold tobacco.

At Waliranji, one farmer who spoke on condition of anonymity showed us heaps of unsold bales lying idle. 

He explained that bottlenecks in the booking process, a requirement for accessing the market, prevented many farmers from selling during the extension period.

According to farmers’ clubs and cooperatives, about 500 bales remain unsold in Mchinji alone a development that could translate into millions of dollars in lost foreign exchange.

“Just this morning, we reached to the  Senior Chief to inform the authority  that many farmers here in Mchinji have not finished selling their tobacco. It is a very serious problem,” said one farmer.

When contacted, Senior Chief Mavwele neither denied nor confirmed the challenges.

 However, during President Chakwera’s campaign rally at Waliranji last week, the chief publicly lamented that farmers in the area had been left stranded with their leaf.

In response, Tobacco Commission spokesperson Telephorous Chigwenembe confirmed that the marketing season has officially closed.

“Our office was not aware that some farmers are yet to sell their tobacco. We will make follow-ups, and by tomorrow we should be able to know whether it is true or not,” he said.

Pressed on what measures the Commission would take if the farmers’ concerns proved genuine, Chigwenembe could not provide a clear answer.

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