Every bale sold on Malawi’s tobacco selling floors goes through the same four steps. AHL Tobacco Sales Limited runs the market at each step, so that growers are paid fairly and buyers get the tobacco they bought.
Receive
Growers bring their tobacco to one of our four selling floors, in Limbe, Lilongwe, Chinkhoma and Mzuzu, or to a satellite market opened where the crop demands it. Each bale is received, recorded and stored safely in our warehouses until it is presented for sale.
Present
Bales are prepared and presented on the selling floor through the established selling platform, where licensed buyers can see the tobacco on offer.
Sell
Licensed buyers purchase the tobacco. The price is set through the selling process, taking into account the grade and quality of the tobacco, buyer demand and market conditions. A buyer may reject a bale, for example because of its quality or grade, and rejected tobacco is then handled under the procedures for that marketing season.
Settle
We collect the proceeds from buyers, process statutory levies, government taxes and stop-order recoveries, and pay the grower and other industry stakeholders. Bought bales are then cleared and dispatched to the buyer.