Tea prices for Malawi remain low
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
LUSAKA, Nov 19 (Xinhua): Tea prices for Malawi continue to be low largely because the auction system in the country still has a low number of buyers, according to a report posted on the website of The Nation newspaper of Malawi.
While in Kenya there is always a fair demand and good prices for the local tea with top grade BP1 selling at 3.02 USdollars to 3. 31 dollars per kg, Malawi's local tea continues to fetch lowly with BP1 fetching 1.07 and the highest PD fetching 1.44 dollars per kg, said the report.
Sangwani Hara, chairman for the Tea Association of Malawi was quoted as saying that the lack of competition on the tea auction floor is crippling the tea sector.
"There are two aspects to the current low prices. The first one being that we do not have stiff competition at our tea auctions.
We do not have as many buyers as would love to have. "The second aspect is that we do not have a brand.
In Kenya they have a brand and that attracts buyers.
Here in Malawi the association is working on branding the local tea but that will need money," said Hara.
While in Kenya there is always a fair demand and good prices for the local tea with top grade BP1 selling at 3.02 USdollars to 3. 31 dollars per kg, Malawi's local tea continues to fetch lowly with BP1 fetching 1.07 and the highest PD fetching 1.44 dollars per kg, said the report.
Sangwani Hara, chairman for the Tea Association of Malawi was quoted as saying that the lack of competition on the tea auction floor is crippling the tea sector.
"There are two aspects to the current low prices. The first one being that we do not have stiff competition at our tea auctions.
We do not have as many buyers as would love to have. "The second aspect is that we do not have a brand.
In Kenya they have a brand and that attracts buyers.
Here in Malawi the association is working on branding the local tea but that will need money," said Hara.