TOBACCO- MINIMUM PRICES AWAIT GOVT

The tobacco minimum prices announcement are awaiting ministry of finance’s approval- the tobacco control commission TCCC has said.
The Commission said had prepared projected prices to be considered minimum but it will wait for minister of Agriculture’s endorsement.
Speaking in an interview, TCC Chief Executive Officer Dr Bruce Munthali could not disclose the prices saying he should not preempt what the minister will say.
“We hope the minimum prices will be open as soon as possible before the tobacco auctioning commences in weeks period.” Munthali said.
During the late Bingu wa muntharika’s regime, government was having much intervention in determining minimum prices stating it was putting the welfare of the citizenry at supremacy.
Last year’s minimum prices were averaging 2 dollars per kilogram where 168 million kilograms of all types of Tobacco was sold –earning a maximum of 400 million USD.
However, the earnings were too little comparing Zimbabwe’s 1.2 billion kilograms registered in the same season from the green gold.
Meanwhile, Munthali attributed the Zimbabwe situation as due to higher proportion of flue cured tobacco –which fetches at least better prices.