The Tobacco Commission (TC) says, the country has recorded a 56 percent increase in tobacco revenue growth this year.
The TC chief executive officer Joseph Chidanti Malunga said this at a press briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday following the closure of the selling season.
Malunga said the country has sold 120.5 million kilogrammes of tobacco this year, earning $283.7 million.
He attributed the development to an increase in the production of the green gold, good prices and increased competition among buyers.
Malunga indicated that, TC is targeting to hit 200 million kilogrammes next year.
Last year, the country’s chief foreign exchange earner generated $182.1 million having sold 85.1 million kilogrammes.
Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) Colleen Zamba has cautioned public officers working in the execution of land issues to refrain from corruption and work with diligence in serving Malawians.
Zamba was speaking in Lilongwe when she opened a meeting between the Ministry of Lands and Directors in Government ministries on the country’s amended land laws on Tuesday.
The SPC emphasized that Malawi can only achieve its development aspirations as outlined in Malawi 2063 if public officers adopt a zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
Colleen Zamba
“While I remind you that corruption has no room in any government, also take note that delivery is key in this administration because citizens expect us to change the way we operate and deliver to their expectations,” said Zamba.
She added: “What we are doing is to make sure that there is order. Not any body goes anywhere anyhow.
“We need to do proper paperwork. We don’t just grant land to foreigners. Can I just go to Germany and get land? No.”
She added that the country’s economic revolution will require hard work and that every public servant should reflect and work to their best.
Zamba since then challenged the directors to help in providing correct information to the people.
In his remarks, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Devie Chilonga said among other things, the amended land laws have helped to address people’s concerns regarding the sale of land to non-citizens, sale of vacant freehold or leasehold land and the role of traditional leaders in the management and administration of customary land.
President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera says Southern Africa Development Corporation (SADC) Summit is an opportunity for Malawi to assert it’s development aspirations within the region and widen the country’s economic prospects through meaningful regional integration and cooperation.
The Malawi leader left the country on Wednesday 16th August 2023 through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) for Angola where he is expected to attend the SADC 43rd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government tomorrow.
From Angola, Chakwera will proceed to South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Outreach Plus Summit from 22nd to 24th August 2023 where Malawi is one of the 67 non – member countries invited to attend.
Updating Malawians through his Facebook page soon after departure, Chakwera explained that he is heading to Angola to align with fellow SADC leaders on how best they can use human and financial capital to drive sustainable industrialisation within the bloc.
“The thematic thrust of this year’s summit mirrors our Malawi Vision 2063 especially under Enabler number 5 which positions our workforce especially the youth as a pivotal component for economic transformation when we invest in them appropriately. The discussions will also consolidate peace and security and democracy in the region,” added the president.
“As for the BRICS summit we will champion our cause with emerging and fellow developing markets through multilateral cooperation to rebalance the world’s economic and political tectonics and make the global system conducive for inclusive growth.”
Chakwera said he expects to engage two BRICS key members, China and India on easing the country’s debt repayment schedule.
Malawi President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has today left Malawi for Luanda in Angola where he will be attending the 43 Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) summit.
Speaking during his departure at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), President Chakwera described the summit as crucial.
“As an integral part of SADC region, this annual summit is crucial for us because we discuss issues to consolidate our integration and make sure our democracy is intact all over the region, and also make sure that there is peace and security [in the region]. These are issues that have been paramount in the last two summits and we will get updates as to where we are just to make sure that the Southern African Development Community becomes an example all over Africa on how to handle some of the things that concern all of us,” said President Chakwera.
Chakwera leaving for Angola
It is expected that after attending the Summit in Angola the Malawi leader will also attend the BRICS Summit in South Africa as well as hold outreach meetings.
The SADC meeting will take place from 17th to 18th August, 2023 under the theme: “Human and Financial Capital: The key drivers for sustainable industrialisation of the SADC Region.”
Among other activities, the Summit will elect Angola to become next Chair of SADC, succeeding the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Summit will also provide political direction and commitment on how the region should position itself in the face of diverse and complex opportunities and threats that increasingly demand regional cooperation.
After attending the SADC Summit Meeting, the President will proceed to Johannesburg, the Republic of South Africa, to attend the 15th Session of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Plus Outreach Summit from 22nd to 24th August, 2023.
Again the theme for the Summit Meeting is: “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism”.
According to the statement which Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released the objective of the Summit is to pursue, among other issues, alternative international financial systems.
“His Excellency the President will take advantage of both Summits to hold bilateral consultations with other world leaders with the objective of secuing support for Malaw’s economic recovery,” reads the statement.
Chakwera is expected to return home on Friday, 25th August, 2023.
The Ministry of Agriculture spells out measures for AIP smooth implementation
The Minister of Agriculture Sam Dalitso Kawale on Monday chronologised subsequent measures aimed at laying a strong foundation towards smooth implementation of the Agricultural Input Programme (AIP).
Kawale said over the past three weeks, his Ministry has been cleaning and harmonizing the data so that soon the public should be notified when the process is completed.
Your Ministry is sourcing fertilizer from thirteen companies that fulfilled all requirements after a restricted tender was floated.
The Minister said the very critical stage which was on signing of contracts with suppliers has been concluded and he spelt the companies which includes Optichem (2000) Limited, ETG Inputs Ltd Farmers World, Afriventures Blantyre Limited, Mediterranean Fertilizers DMCC, Malawi Fertilizer Company, Saeed Investments , Chipala Investments Sealand Investments Ltd, Midima Holdings Ltd, Chipiku Stores Stores Zathu Trading, and Paramount Holdings Limited.
Hon Sam Kawale
Kawale said , the approaches used to reach Beneficiaries has been devised saying, all fertilizer will be retailed to beneficiaries by SFFRFM through the following approaches: SFFRFM is opening additional retailing structures in each new constituency, according to the 2025 constituency boundaries. These will also act as mini-warehouses to facilitate mobile van sales.
The Minister said fund officials, are already in constituencies, identifying these places.
Kawale added that the Ministry will use existing ADMARC deports used across the country just like previous years.
On the seed and livestock, contract arrangements are underway and slated to have suppliers sign contracts by end of this month August.
On redemption of AIP , Kawale said all contracted fertilizer suppliers, regardless of the source, will deliver to regional warehouses of the Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) in order to check conformity with contract specifications as well as de-congesting the physical shops.
“To check the condition of the fertilizer supplied and make sure it is not solidified, watery, or fake fertilizers. To check the weights in conformity to the contract specifications. To check the type of fertilizer delivered against the contract agreements. To check quantities of fertilizers delivered against the contract. To check if the fertilizer bags are marked with Suppliers Name in case of any issues for easy follow-ups”
On the use of Mobile Van sales, Kawale said, knowing that the physical shops opened by SFFRFM will not be enough, the Ministry will allow the Fund to do sales of fertilizer close to farmers regardless of the building (mobile van sales) as long as the mobile network is there for the system to work.
“This approach assists in reaching out to more beneficiaries, reducing distances to be traveled by beneficiaries and de-congesting in physical shops. The actual places for mobile van sales will be finalized once we liase with ADC and other office bearers in all constituencies. Recruitment of Temporal Sales Clerks. Realizing limited human resources for retailing fertilizers, SFFRFM is recruiting more staff as sales clerks to cover retailing areas to be opened per new constituency and mobile van sales. On the issue of network coverage, your Ministry is building upon the network system upgraded last year. As you recall, we had a problem the first month of sales. After that, the network performed well for the remaining four months, apart from the localized network problem. This time, the system is being upgraded even more to allow sales clerks to do redemption using GSM service, in the absence of internet,” he said.
The program inputs requirement is estimated at 149,025 MT of fertilizer (74,512.5 MT each of NPK & Urea); Seed will be 7,451.25 MT, while 19,500 female goats which will be distributed in Phalombe, Balaka and Salima districts.
Collection of money. One of the areas that delayed redemption was the delay in collecting money after sales. This also led to two incidences of theft by sales clerks. Your Ministry has discussed with NBS bank to work with the Fund to collect money quickly so that we do not delay redeeming the products.
5.0 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Madam Speaker, as earlier stated, fertilizer supplied will be ferried to SFFRFM warehouses. This means that this fertilizer will have to be moved close to the farmers vicinity in their respective selling points. In this regard, your Ministry has finalized procuring transportation services from the service providers in the country. They are just waiting to be told when to start transporting to your constituencies. And this time around, hard-to-reach places will be first to get the fertilizer.
6.0 INVOLVEMENT OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT Members of Parliament will not be requested to help transport fertilizer to their constituencies. Members of Parliament will be requsted to be in their constituencies to assist in making sure that there is order at selling points.
7.0 CONCLUSION Madam Speaker, let me at this point, thank His Excellency the State President, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for putting people’s food security problems at his heart through continued provision of resources to my Ministry to implement the programme. Let me also thank my fellow Cabinet colleagues for taking keen interest in the programme and providing guidance and support on its implementation.
