Malawi: Floods destroy tobacco crops

Published Jan 26, 2015

Share

Lethal floods in Malawi which have killed at least 176 people have caused extensive damage to tobacco, the country’s leading hard currency earner, a senior official said on Friday. According to the World Bank, tobacco accounts for around 60 percent of Malawi’s exports, and the floods come as the impoverished country struggles to woo back donors who have withheld funds over governance concerns. “We are still assessing how much damage has been caused by the heavy rains on tobacco, but I can safely say that many fields have been washed away and the impact on the economy is obvious, because tobacco is our main forex earner,” Bruce Munthali, the Tobacco Control Commission’s chief executive, said. There are also worries about the maize crop which feeds the nation. – Reuters

Related Topics: