During a press briefing on Friday, AHL Tobacco Sales general manager Graham Kunimba outlined that the tobacco market has so far registered a high rejection rate of 37.7% and low volumes sold.

The high rejection rate has been attributed to the mixing of different tobacco grades, while the auction floors will be open on Saturdays to ensure that more volumes are sold. On the bright side of things, Kunimba said that the first week of the market saw good price offering, as the highest price on the week on contract market was $2.50 (about K1 900) per kg while on auction market it was $1.80 (about K1 330) per kg while the average price was $1.55 (about K1 150) per kg.

The above prices has seen the market make a collective $2.8 million (about K2 billion) between the Lilongwe and Chinkhoma floors, having sold 1.8 million kilograms (kg). The new tobacco Act says farmers will only make 25% profit off excess tobacco, while the Tobacco Commission will own 75%.