Tea prices have dropped locally and internationally, as figures show that on the international market, the price has gone down by 70 cents while at Limbe Auction floors, the price is down by 40 cents. Chief Executive Officer for the Tea Association of Malawi Beyan Munthali attributed the price drop by overproduction.

Munthali says that this year has recorded a high production of tea by Asian and East African countries, as a lot of tea is currently in warehouses as the market remains poor. “Not really an advice but I think our tea producers need to sign favorable contracts with buyers and again I hope Limbe market will pick up in the next coming months,” Munthali told Zodiak Broadcasting Station.

International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) published a policy brief titled Malawi’s Challenging Employment Landscape: Any Signs of Structural Transformation, in which Malawi has been advised to diversify her agricultural output.

The call comes after many similar suggestions by various firms, both locally and internationally, as Malawi’s cash crops have been struggling. In a report released recently, the World Bank has said that in the past decade, Malawi has been able to make significant economic and structural reforms and sustain economic growth, but remains one of the poorest countries in the world, because it is overly dependent on agriculture.