Tanzania has announced a bold new trade policy stance, threatening to impose sweeping restrictions on agricultural imports from Malawi and South Africa unless the two countries lift what it calls unfair non-tariff barriers on Tanzanian farm products.
Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe delivered the ultimatum via social media, warning that Dar es Salaam will suspend all fertilizer exports to Malawi and halt the transit of agricultural goods from both nations through Tanzanian territory—including its ports—if the restrictions are not lifted by Wednesday next week.
Bashe criticized the continued bans on key Tanzanian exports such as bananas, flour, maize, ginger, and rice. “These actions are not about retaliation, but about fairness, dignity, and defending our farmers,” he said, adding that years of diplomatic dialogue have failed to yield results.
South Africa is currently restricting banana imports from Tanzania, while Malawi has moved to block a broad range of agricultural goods, citing domestic production protection. Malawi’s April 9 directive prohibited imports of items grown locally, including fruits, vegetables, and maize flour—a decision that has drawn regional concern.
The Tanzanian government’s countermeasures would not only ban imports from the two countries but also stop the transit of their goods through Tanzania’s vital trade routes and ports. Such a move could significantly disrupt regional trade flows, particularly for landlocked Malawi, which relies heavily on Tanzanian infrastructure for international commerce.
Bashe said Tanzania has endured trade imbalances and barriers from regional partners for too long and signaled that this latest move could mark a turning point in how the country approaches intra-African trade. “Tanzania will no longer serve as an open market for countries that continue to block access to their own,” he declared.
The warning comes amid growing frustration within the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) over the uneven application of trade agreements and persistent protectionism. Analysts warn that if the situation escalates, it could trigger wider trade tensions in the region.
With the deadline nearing, regional stakeholders are closely monitoring Malawi and South Africa’s next moves. Whether they lift the restrictions or not could determine the future of agricultural trade dynamics in southern and eastern Africa.