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A key border crossing between Tanzania and Malawi fell quiet on Thursday, as a growing regional trade spat prompted Tanzania to ban agricultural imports from both Malawi and South Africa.
The ban, which took effect at midnight, is in response to what Tanzania describes as unfair restrictions on its own exports. The country’s Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe announced the move, saying, “We are taking this step to protect our business interests… in business, we must all respect each other.”
The escalation comes amid broader efforts on the continent to promote economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to ease trade barriers across Africa.
What sparked the dispute?
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South Africa has long prohibited Tanzanian banana imports.
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Malawi, in March, imposed a temporary ban on imports of products like flour, rice, ginger, bananas, and maize from Tanzania and other nations, citing a need to protect local farmers.
Malawi’s Trade Minister Vitumbiko Mumba defended the move, calling it “a strategic decision” to support local industries against overwhelming foreign competition.
But Tanzania views the restrictions as economically damaging and retaliated with its own measures. “No Tanzanian will die from a lack of South African grapes or apples,” Bashe said defiantly, adding that food security would not be compromised.
Impact on trade and logistics
The Kasumulu border post, normally a hub for agricultural trade, has seen traffic plummet. Only a few trucks carrying fuel were seen crossing into Malawi, while lorries that would typically haul tomatoes, bananas, and maize were left idling.
“It’s been very difficult for the drivers,” said businesswoman Happy Zulu, that many transporters were scrambling to find new types of goods to move.
Bashe also shared a video showing rotting bananas on a truck stranded at the border, highlighting the real economic costs of the standoff. Tonnes of tomatoes have reportedly also gone to waste.
Broader implications
All three countries involved—Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa—are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a bloc meant to foster regional cooperation. But the trade fallout is already taking a toll.
Tanzanian exports to Malawi have tripled since 2018, according to official figures, making the southern neighbour an increasingly important market.
While Tanzania could potentially redirect trade flows to countries like Kenya, Namibia, or South Sudan, landlocked Malawi faces tougher challenges. Much of its export and import traffic, including fuel and machinery, relies on Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port.
Losing access to Dar could force rerouting via Mozambique’s Beira or Nacala ports, likely raising costs and complicating logistics for Malawi’s exporters.
Bashe insists the move is not a declaration of trade war. “This is about fairness,” he said. “Tanzania will not continue to allow unequal market access to persist at the expense of its people.”
