Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/641418
STiR tea & coffee industry international 43 Makandi Tea and Coffee Estates, Satemwa Tea Estate, Confornzi Plantations, and Zoa Tea Estate. The main purpose of those new partnerships was to increase smallholder production, ensure the earning capacity of the farmers, provide loans for inputs such as fertilizer, seedling plants and equipment, and organize training programs for growers. Smallholder partnerships As in other parts of the world, Malawi's smallholders always found themselves at a dis- advantage in terms of the low prices they could command for their harvested leaf, their lack of bargaining power at the factory door, high costs of production, lack of funds, lack of education, and literacy skills, shortage of available land, lack of transportation, limited access to markets, and a lack of marketing skills. Today that is beginning to change and some of the private companies are now work- ing closely with their local farmers to ensure that they receive support and a share of the profits. At Lujeri Tea, where more than 6,000 smallholders provide 15% of the crop processed at four factories, farmers are paid promptly for their leaf and receive half-yearly bonuses based on factory profits and prices paid at the Limbe auctions. At Eastern Pro- duce, a general manager and field officers provide management advice, agronomic guid- ance and training to 7,500 smallholders who supply 33% of the company's green leaf. Hand rolling single leaves Teas are hand-plucked by specially trained workers, left and below. Zomba Pearls, above.