Tanzania has announced a ban on all agricultural imports from South Africa and Malawi, intensifying an ongoing trade dispute that has strained relations between the three Southern African nations.
Speaking on Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe defended the move as a necessary step to protect Tanzania’s business interests. “This is business in business, we must all respect each other,he said during a press briefing.
The decision comes in response to long-standing restrictions from both countries. South Africa has blocked Tanzanian banana imports for years, while Malawi recently banned Tanzanian imports of flour, rice, ginger, bananas, and maize.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the trade friction have so far failed. Bashe confirmed that new talks were underway but stressed that Tanzania could no longer tolerate unequal trade practices.
The ban will impact several key South African exports to Tanzania, including apples and grapes. Malawi, meanwhile, may face more significant challenges, as it relies heavily on Tanzania’s port of Dar es Salaam to export tobacco, sugar, and soybeans. Rerouting through Mozambique’s Beira and Nacala ports could lead to higher logistical costs.
Malawi’s trade minister previously described the March import restrictions as a temporary measure to protect domestic producers. “It is a strategic move to create an environment where local businesses can thrive,” Vitumbiko Mumba said.
Tanzania, however, has dismissed that justification. Bashe labelled Malawi’s restrictions “unfair and harmful” and said they had “directly affected” Tanzanian traders. He also addressed food security concerns, assuring citizens that the ban would not lead to shortages. “No Tanzanian will die from a lack of South African grapes or apples,” he remarked.
The ban has already disrupted trade within the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), where the three countries are members. On Saturday, Bashe posted a video showing rotting bananas in a truck stranded at the Malawi border, symbolising the growing frustration.
Official figures show that Tanzanian exports to Malawi tripled between 2018 and 2023, highlighting the economic stakes of the row. While Tanzania may shift trade towards markets like Kenya, Namibia, or South Sudan, Malawi’s reliance on Tanzanian infrastructure makes alternatives harder to manage.
Bashe insisted the ban is not meant to trigger a trade war. Tanzania will not continue to allow unequal market access to persist at the expense of its people,he said.
