In an ironic twist, a new report shows that Malawi maize is being exported to Zambia through Mchinji District amid a maize export ban and Lilongwe planning to import maize from its neighbour.
The exports are happening at a time a team from Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture and National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) is in the country to meet local stakeholders over possible selling of maize and other farm produce to Malawi.
In its November 2025 Maize Market Report, the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) confirmed the exports of local maize to Zambia although it acknowledged that Malawi remained a net importer of maize from Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.
Reads the report in part: “The only big exception to this trend emerged in the second week of the month [November] when large quantities of maize started flowing out of the country through Mchinji border towards Chipata.
want forex . | Nation
“The reasons behind this anomaly are not immediately obvious. Notwithstanding the export activity in Mchinji, continued imports signal that domestic maize supply remains dependent on cross-border trade, which helps stabilize local markets.”
The report also shows that retail prices of maize decreased in nearly all monitored markets by six percent on average, from K1 238/kilogramme (kg) in the last week of October to K1 168/kg during the last week of November.
Prices better in Zambia
In a written response yesterday, Grain Traders Association of Malawi president Grace Mijiga-Mhango said the exports are happening because there are no definite markets for maize in Malawi.
She said: “The other issue is that people are using these exports to generate foreign exchange. When we use a black market rate, our maize is cheaper in US dollar terms locally than the existing prices in Zambia.
“This also shows that traders have reasonable stocks. This, however, does not mean we have enough maize, but in absence of a local market, traders still have to offload their stocks and they take advantage of any available market opportunity.”
On her part, Civil Society Agriculture Network (CisaNet) board chairperson Driana Lwanda said price differences across the borders as well as increased regional demand, especially in eastern Zambia, are incentivising maize exports.
Last month, the Malawi Government restricted the exportation of maize and its products, as part of continued efforts to, among others, safeguard national food security and maintain price stability
But agricultural policy expert Tamani-Nkhono Mvula said the export ban does not necessarily mean that the maize in the country is going to be on the local market.
“What I have observed is that there is a lot of maize that is being held by farmers and traders, because they are looking for prices to go up so that they can release this maize on the market,” he said.
In a separate interview, agriculture economist Steve Kayira agreed, saying, despite the ban, traders normally respond rationally to such market signals.
He said: “Ban enforcement has proved to be costly and oftentimes ineffective. Therefore, the government should focus on reducing the incentive to export the staple grain.
“This can be achieved by ensuring timely and credible domestic market participation, especially through Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation [Admarc] and NFRA, besides strengthening dialogue than punitive measures to align private incentives with national food security objectives.”
More imports on maize?
On the Zambia maize, Transporters Association of Malawi spokesperson Frank Banda said in a statement yesterday that the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development engaged the association to transport maize secured from Zambia.
“The priority is for us to move the whole tonnage, but we will be assisted by Zambians. We are expecting to get 300 trucks of between 15 and 30 metric tonnes [MT]. We are mobilizing trucks by next week we will start haulage,” he said.
In a related development, Mijiga-Mhango confirmed yesterday that her team will meet the Tanzania delegation today at the Ministry of Agriculture Conference room at Capital Hill.
The programme shows that the Tanzania team will first make a courtesy call on Secretary for Agriculture Erica Maganga at 8.30am before meeting Grain Traders from 10am to midday and the local NFRA from 2pm.
Meanwhile, a letter circulating purportedly from Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries indicates that Kampala has received an expression of interest to export maize, beans, soybean, sesame, and rice to Malawi.
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Roza Mbilizi could not be reached while Maganga said she was yet to see the Uganda letter.
