Wait Holdings, a locally owned enterprise, has launched a $5 million fertiliser blending plant in Blantyre capable of producing 50 metric tonnes per hour, according to Nation Online. Operating under the MlimiFert brand, the facility aims to reduce Malawi's dependence on expensive imported inputs by manufacturing crop-specific nutrient blends tailored to local soils. Managing Director Irene Mlundira stated that the company plans to open additional distribution outlets in Lilongwe and Mzuzu later this year to improve nationwide access for farmers.
In agricultural infrastructure news, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development has advanced the next phase of the Shire Valley Transformation Programme. According to tender documents published by the African Development Bank, the government has issued bids for the construction of new safety structures and irrigation systems covering 665 hectares at the Kambadwe and Mwana-Alirenji cooperative farm blocks. The upcoming civil works are jointly financed by the African Development Bank and the OPEC Fund for International Development.
Update: Government intervention has partially eased the crisis at national tobacco auction floors following a challenging start to the marketing season, Nation Online reports. After Minister of Agriculture Roza Mbilizi engaged directly with industry buyers, initial leaf rejection rates that had peaked above 90 percent decreased to approximately 70 percent. Tobacco Commission spokesperson Telephorus Chigwenembe acknowledged that while the rejection rate remains elevated, the overall market progression is beginning to show positive signs.