Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) says Malawian exporters are losing business in international markets not because of poor product quality, but failing to meet regulatory and documentation requirements.
MCCCI chief executive officer Daisy Kambalame said in an interview on Friday that exporters often see consignments rejected despite producing quality goods because they lack sufficient knowledge of market entry requirements.
But she said the European Union (EU) remains one of Malawi’s most favourable export destinations, with the country recording a trade surplus with the bloc and benefiting from duty-free market access.
“There are very few barriers to entry because they provide opportunities for no import duties, which can be costly in other markets,” said Kambalame.
However, she cautioned that preferential access alone does not guarantee market entry, adding that exporters must still comply with stringent food safety and sanitary standards, traceability requirements, environmental regulations, quality standards and certification and documentation rules.
Meanwhile, trade economist Henry Kamkwamba said Malawi’s widening trade deficit underscores the need to boost exports and diversify the country’s export base.
He said the trade deficit reached about $2.67 billion (about K4.6 trillion) in 2025 as export growth stagnated while imports continued to rise.
“We need to increase exports to close the deficit,” said Kamkwamba.
He described limited access to information on export standards as a major obstacle for SMEs, noting that many businesses learn about compliance requirements only after shipments have been rejected.
