Tanzania Imposes Agricultural Import Ban on South Africa and Malawi Over Trade Dispute

Cross-border activity suffered vast disruption when the new ban started at midnight Thursday with its direct impact on border checkpoints including Kasumulu. Before the border hosted many commercial trucks yet now official delivery of fuel products represents the sole traffic through this crossing.

The Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe stated that the trade restrictions serve as a safety measure for national businesses. Our business operation requires us to implement this measure to defend our professional interests, Bashe told the media.

Tanzania has banned agricultural imports from South Africa and Malawiin response to trade restrictions from both countries

Malawi had banned Tanzanian products like maize flour, rice while South Africa prohibited Tanzanian banana imports

All 3 nations are part of SADC. pic.twitter.com/Juc0MGp3KY

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The disagreement comes out of ongoing problems:

• The South African government has kept Tanzanian bananas banned from entry for multiple years.
• Malawi placed restrictions on importing these commodities from Tanzania including flour, rice, ginger, bananas, and maize.

The ongoing trade dispute makes trade barriers stand in the way of the achievements made by Africa toward establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area four years ago.

South African companies must change their export routes while Malawi needs new transit options because Tanzania controls shipping access to the outside world. Due to this situation Malawi could need to pay more when moving goods through other port options in Mozambique.