Ministry tightens grip, amends Control of Goods Act

Ministry of Trade and Industry has tightened its grip on imports and exports of goods, including maize, soy beans and pigeon peas by amending the Control of Goods Act.

In a statement on Wednesday, Secretary for Trade and Industry Christina Zakeyu said the amendment seeks to support Malawi’s industrialisation and import substitution drive.

For instance, under the first schedule, goods that require an import licence include grain of any variety, such as, soya beans and pigeon peas, peanut butter, honey, sweets and hot chili sauces.

On the other hand, goods that require an export licence are beans, cane sugar and pigeon peas.

Reads the statement in part: “This amendment includes addition of various products on the lists of regulated import and export goods. The amendment has been necessitated to support our industrialisation and import substitution drive.”

In an interview on Wednesday, Ministry of Industry and Trade spoksperson Patrick Botha said the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) will not clear the goods unless they are furnished with a valid licence from traders.

In July, the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (Mitc) said the country’s export potential has remained higher than the actual exports because of production deficiencies and lack of value addition.

Mitc’s export potential map analysis shows that Malawi continues to realise reduced exports value from its agricultural products due to value addition and production challenges.

Grain Traders Association of Malawi president Grace Mijiga-Mhango in an earlier interview attributed the high unrealised export potential to policy related-issues as some commodities face export bans.