The recently released weekly sales report released by the Tobacco Commission (TC) shows that the tobacco market made $17,918,572.34 by the close of the market’s third week.

While the sum is 1% lower than the $18.1 million realised during the same period last year, it is an 86% rise in profits from the second week, as prices went up by at least 25% last week.

While farmers expect that this year’s market will make more revenue, rejection rates are at 40% minimum, while C Chief Executive Officer, Kaisi Sadala, is positive that the rates are likely to drop. “Overall average rejection rate is averaging around 40%, it seems most buyers are concentrating more on their contracted volumes before participating fully on auction.” said Sadala, “We are engaging the buyers with a view to improve the situation. Otherwise growers should be assured that all tobacco will be bought,” Sadala said.

While this year’s market prices went up due to flue cured tobacco, the tobacco industry may expect more good news in the next years market, as new burley and flue cured tobacco varieties with high yielding and disease resistant properties have been discovered, courtesy of the Agriculture Research and Extension Trust (Aret). Aret Chief Executive Officer, Albert Changaya, said the Trust would release three barley varieties namely FH 4, FH 5 and FH 6 which are resistant to other diseases, aimed at getting better yields.