Malawi to earn K3bn through coffee

Malawi is this year expected to realize between 2 and 3 billion kwacha through the sale of coffee to the international market, the Coffee Association of Malawi said on Wednesday.

Chairperson of the Coffee Association of Malawi Mr. Harrison Kalua said three months ago a delegation from Malawi travelled to Belgium and Holland, from where they secured new markets for coffee.

“We are planning to begin exporting to these new markets by the end of this month or early September besides selling to our traditional markets,” said Mr. Kalua.

“This, coupled with the traditional markets that Malawi sells its coffee to, will increase proceeds that the country realizes from the sale of coffee” added Mr. Kalua.

Currently, Malawi is not able to meet the growing demand on coffee on the international market, due to underproduction.

“There is a huge demand for coffee out there, but as a country, we are only able to export 2000 tonnes, which is far too little,” he said.

“For your information, in every six minutes, one million tonnes of coffee are consumed all over the world, which demands that we produce more,” added Mr. Kalua.

Malawi’s economy largely depends on tobacco, but lately, economists have repeatedly said that the country needs to diversify and increase production of other commercial crops.

This, according to Mr. Harrison Kalua, will help grow the country’s economy.