Africa-Press – Tanzania. Tanzania has lifted its suspension of agricultural imports from South Africa and Malawi, Minister for Agriculture Hussein Bashe announced.
This decision comes after the governments of Malawi and South Africa engaged with Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation and the Ministry of Agriculture to seek a resolution to the initial ban, which was imposed on April 23, 2025.
Minister Bashe has confirmed in a statement issued yesterday that all restrictions previously placed on agricultural imports from South Africa and Malawi have been lifted, effective April 26, 2025.
The government has expressed confidence that ongoing discussions with both countries will lead to a satisfactory resolution of the trade concerns.
“In the case of Malawi, it has been agreed that a delegation from Malawi, led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and including the Minister for Industry and Trade and the Minister for Agriculture, will travel to Dodoma on May 2, 2025, to meet with a Tanzanian delegation. Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation will coordinate these discussions,” he said.
Regarding South Africa, he said talks are currently underway between technical experts from the Ministry of Agriculture through the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation and their counterparts in South Africa responsible for plant health and marketing.
Tanzania’s initial decision to suspend agricultural imports from South Africa and Malawi was taken to prompt action from those countries to allow Tanzanian produce into their markets.
“The government assures farmers and Tanzanian citizens at large that the freedom of trade in agricultural produce will continue in line with plant health requirements, available national resources and broader diplomatic relations for the benefit of all,” Mr Bashe said.
The government also acknowledges that regional and international trade is governed by the guidelines set by the Intra-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), to which both Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi are signatories.
These international guidelines emphasise the role of National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPO) in regulating the import and export of agricultural produce, with a particular focus on ensuring the phytosanitary integrity of plant consignments.
“Tanzania has recognised the efforts made by the governments of South Africa and Malawi to initiate and engage in diplomatic dialogue to address the trade issues. The lifting of the import bans is intended to facilitate these discussions and foster a resolution through diplomatic channels,” says Minister Bashe.
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