The average price per kilo 59 days into this year's tobacco auction season was substantially below 2014, with 10.6 million fewer kilograms sold, according to an African News Agency report.

Leaf is selling for an average USD 2.94 (EUR 2.61) compared with USD 3.18 at the same point in time last year, ANA said, citing data from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB). So far this year 138.4 million kgs have been sold at auction compared with 149 million kgs in 2014, ANA said.
Low prices at the onset of marketing season prompted angry confrontations between farmers and police. Low prices then were blamed on poor quality of the early deliveries, ANA said.