Southern Region
Zomba district intelligence
Small plots + urban demand: intensive horticulture beats extensive maize.
District intelligence
Zomba · Southern Region
Small plots + urban demand: intensive horticulture beats extensive maize.
Seasonal rainfall
1100 mm
Altitude
950 m
Reliable season
140 days
Planting window
Nov – early Dec
Dominant soils
Loam, Clay loam
Irrigation potential
Moderate
Lean-season stress
25% of households
Yield vs national avg
100%
Best-fit crops
Maize, Vegetables, Bananas, Pigeon peas, Coffee
Approach with caution
Cotton, Wheat
Main hazards
Plateau erosion, Land scarcity, Flash floods
Where produce sells
Zomba market · Blantyre · Institutions & colleges
Highest-margin options here (per hectare, no contract)
| Crop | Margin / ha | Start-up / ha | Months to cash | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bananas | MK 8.53m | MK 2.12m | 12 | Recommended |
| Vegetables (tomato/onion) | MK 6.23m | MK 3.00m | 3 | Workable |
| Macadamia | MK 4.70m | MK 2.50m | 48 | Workable |
| Coffee | MK 4.54m | MK 2.05m | 36 | Recommended |
| Irish potatoes | MK 3.89m | MK 3.10m | 4 | Workable |
Market prices in Zomba
Farmgate and contract prices, with the revenue a hectare returns here after the district yield factor and crop fit are applied.
| Crop | Farmgate | Contract | Yield / ha | Revenue / ha | Price swing | Fit here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bananas | MK 550/kg | MK 650/kg | 24.20 t | MK 13.31m | ±30% | Recommended |
| Vegetables (tomato/onion) | MK 700/kg | MK 900/kg | 16.20 t | MK 11.34m | ±60% | Workable |
| Irish potatoes | MK 650/kg | MK 780/kg | 12.60 t | MK 8.19m | ±42% | Workable |
| Macadamia | MK 4200/kg | MK 5000/kg | 1.80 t | MK 7.56m | ±35% | Workable |
| Sugarcane | MK 95/kg | MK 120/kg | 76.50 t | MK 7.27m | ±15% | Workable |
| Coffee | MK 5200/kg | MK 6200/kg | 1.32 t | MK 6.86m | ±40% | Recommended |
| Tea | MK 2600/kg | MK 2900/kg | 2.16 t | MK 5.62m | ±20% | Workable |
| Cassava | MK 320/kg | MK 400/kg | 14.40 t | MK 4.61m | ±25% | Workable |
| Sweet potatoes | MK 420/kg | MK 520/kg | 9.90 t | MK 4.16m | ±35% | Workable |
| Tobacco | MK 3200/kg | MK 3900/kg | 1.26 t | MK 4.03m | ±50% | Workable |
| Poultry (broilers, per 500 birds) | MK 4200/kg | MK 4600/kg | 0.81 t | MK 3.40m | ±25% | Workable |
| Rice | MK 1400/kg | MK 1650/kg | 1.98 t | MK 2.77m | ±28% | Workable |
| Beans | MK 2100/kg | MK 2450/kg | 0.99 t | MK 2.08m | ±33% | Workable |
| Maize | MK 750/kg | MK 900/kg | 2.75 t | MK 2.06m | ±45% | Recommended |
| Groundnuts | MK 1800/kg | MK 2300/kg | 1.08 t | MK 1.94m | ±35% | Workable |
| Soya beans | MK 1250/kg | MK 1500/kg | 1.44 t | MK 1.80m | ±30% | Workable |
| Pigeon peas | MK 1150/kg | MK 1400/kg | 0.99 t | MK 1.14m | ±55% | Recommended |
| Sorghum | MK 700/kg | MK 850/kg | 1.17 t | MK 819k | ±30% | Workable |
| Cotton | MK 1050/kg | MK 1250/kg | 0.72 t | MK 751k | ±40% | Not advised |
Hazards to plan around
- Plateau erosion
- Land scarcity
- Flash floods