Tobacco farmers have threatened to withdraw their crops from the auction floors due to low prices.
The 2026 Tobacco Marketing Season officially began on Wednesday, 4 March, with the first bale selling for US$4.60 per kilogramme — five cents lower than the US$4.65 recorded at the start of last year’s auction.
Some farmers believe the high opening price was only a marketing tactic to attract attention to the auction floor.
Video footage shows farmers complaining that buyers were offering as little as US$1 per kilogram, far below the advertised opening price of US$4.60.
The sharp drop in prices triggered immediate protests from growers, who argued that the sudden decline was unfair, even taking into account a potential oversupply.
By the end of the day, prices reportedly fell to around US$1 per kilogram, with some farmers even offered as little as US$0.50 per kilogram.
Farmers warned that at such low prices, they would struggle to cover the costs of returning to their farms, let alone pay their workers.
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