Tobacco is Malawi's main export, and the Kasungu auction floor is one of the country's busiest. During the season — roughly April to September — the warehouses fill with bales of dried burley leaf, and the auctioneers' chant moves down the rows at extraordinary speed. The whole town gets busier and the roads thicken with trucks coming in from surrounding farms.
It is not officially set up for tourists, but ask politely at the gate and you may be allowed to watch a session. Wear closed shoes and expect a strong tobacco smell.