Tea production rises sugar output drops
Tea production stood at 1.7 million kilogrammes (kg) in July, compared to 1.1 million kg in July 2012, while sugar fell 22 percent to 15.6 million kg, in the same period, figures indicate.
The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) July 2013 economic review further indicates that the cumulative volume of tea—one of the country’s important export crops—produced between January and July 2013 was 31.9 million kg, representing a drop of 3.6 percent from 33.1 million kgs produced in a corresponding period in 2012.
The report, however, indicates that tea sales through Limbe Auction Market dropped to 0.3 million kg in the review month, compared to 0.8 million kilograms auctioned in July 2012.
“The cumulative volume of sales for the year to date stood at 6.1 million kilograms, a decline of 40.9 percent from 10.3 million kgs sold in a corresponding period last year. The significant drop was on account of outstanding contractual sales obligations from last year,” reads the report in part.
The report adds that cumulative tea average prices stood at $1.88 per kg during the year, relatively higher than $1.66 per kg fetched same month last year.
However, according to the report total realisation stood at $0.4 million in the review month against $1.4 million in July 2012 while cumulative realisation from tea sales amounted to $11.5 million as at end July 2013 compared to $17.2 million realised in a corresponding period in 2012.
On sugar, another important export crop, the report attributes the decline in production to unfavourable rainfall conditions.
“As a result, the volume of sales in the review month was relatively lower at 21.4 million kgs than 24 million kg sold in a corresponding month last year,” reads the report.
The report adds that the cumulative volume of sugar production, from January to July 2013, amounted to 124.9 million kgs, a drop of 8.9 percent from the cumulative volume produced in a similar period in 2012 while cumulative volume of sales was recorded at 136.9 million kilograms against 142.8 million kg sold in a corresponding period last year.
