Tanzania's threats to South Africa's agricultural exports are possibly misguided

On the second week of April 2025, South Africa woke up to a surprise that Tanzania's Minister of Agriculture was contemplating to introduce measures to prohibit South African agricultural products from entering the Tanzanian market.

- THABILE NKUNJANA

This was rather unexpected that Tanzania threatens South Africa about banning its agricultural products that are headed to that country, as well as those that are transiting to its surrounding countries via Dar as Salaam port.

This was unexpected because Tanzania's Agriculture Minister, Honourable Mr Hussein Bashe, handled the issue simultaneously to that of Malawi. Malawi and Tanzania have experienced several restrictions together.

For example, Tanzanian maize has been prohibited from entering Malawi due to concerns about Lethal Necrosis (MLN) in late 2023. More recently, flour and rice have been restricted, while Tanzanian bananas are the only product restricted to South Africa.

For several reasons, it is incorrect to compare the restrictions placed on Tanzanian products in South Africa and Malawi.

"These measures are to protect the economy of our farmers, the dignity of our country, and fairness in regional trade," for instance, Minister Bashe stated.

First, after India, South Africa is Tanzania's second-largest export market globally. With the exception of 2021, when the UAE was the top market, South Africa has been in Tanzania's top two markets for the previous 20 years.

South Africa accounted for 8%, or $122.2 million, of Tanzania's $1.4 billion in overall exports to the globe in 2004. Also, with a 15% market share, or $1.1bn, South Africa was the second-largest buyer of Tanzania's $7.2bn in total exports to the world as of 2023.