By Benadetta Chiwanda Mia:
Tea Association of Malawi (Tamal) has cited oversupply of tea on the global market and intermittent rainfall patterns in the country among factors hampering production.
Tamal Chief Executive Officer Tonda Chinangwa said in an interview that the industry produced a total of 12,017,632 kilogrammes (kg) of tea in the first two months of 2025.
The volume is slightly lower than the amount produced during the same period in 2024.
“In terms of sales, Limbe Tea Auction sold less tea in January 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This, however, does not include tea sold through private sales.
“Apart from weather patterns, the oversupply of tea on the global market has affected tea prices in Malawi, leading to stagnant prices,” Chinangwa said.
According to the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM)’s Monthly Economic Review for January 2025, tea production in January 2025 amounted to 5.2 million kg.
This was a slight increase from the 5 million kg produced in December 2024 but significantly lower than the 7.3 million kg produced in January 2024.
However, tea prices dropped, averaging $1.11 per kg in January 2025, down from $1.17 per kg in December 2024.
Meanwhile, the World Bank’s commodities price data show that global tea prices decreased to $2.69 per kg in February 2025, down from $2.78 per kg in January 2025.
