‘My bananas had been seized and destroyed’

Merchants are counting their losses as Tanzania clamps down on individuals attempting to flout a ban on items from neighbouring Malawi in an escalating regional commerce row.

On Friday, businesswomen informed the BBC that some fellow merchants had been arrested on the second day of a ban imposed by Tanzania on all agricultural imports from Malawi and South Africa.

“My bananas had been seized and destroyed. Proper now, our enterprise has introduced losses, and we solely have just a little cash left,” stated Jestina Chanya, a dealer in Karongo, about 50km (30 miles) from the border with Tanzania.

Diplomatic efforts to handle the dispute have failed however Tanzania’s agriculture minister stated contemporary talks had been ongoing.

Final month, Malawi blocked imports of flour, rice, ginger, bananas and maize from Tanzania, and different international locations, saying this was to guard native producers.

South Africa has for years prohibited the entry of bananas from Tanzania.

On Thursday, Tanzania’s Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe stated commerce restrictions from these two international locations “straight affected” merchants from his nation and described the commerce barrier as “unfair and dangerous”.

Bashe introduced a direct ban on all agricultural imports from the 2 international locations, “to guard our enterprise pursuits”.

Commerce flows have been tremendously affected at Kasumulu – the official border crossing between Tanzania and Malawi.

When the BBC visited the Malawian city of Karonga, merchants – principally girls – stated they had been nonetheless shaken by the sight of tonnes of their produce slowly rotting, then finally being dumped after being denied entry into Tanzania.

“The losses I’ve incurred are huge as a result of I can not go purchase something any extra, and I do not even understand how I’ll feed my youngsters,” stated June Mwamwaja.

However Tanzanian merchants have additionally been hit.

On Saturday Tanzania’s agriculture minister posted a video on social media exhibiting a pile of rotten bananas in a truck which had been prevented from coming into Malawi.

Tonnes of tomatoes additionally spoiled on the border just lately after lorries from Tanzania had been denied entry into Malawi.

Malawian merchants like Jeniffa Mshani stated they most popular agricultural items from Tanzania as a result of it was simpler and extra reasonably priced to supply them throughout the border.

“Tanzanian merchandise are huge and promote very effectively available in the market, and their costs are good. Our native [Malawi] merchandise are dearer. I’ve nothing to do – I haven’t got the capability to compete with these [who have big capital]. I simply cannot,” she informed the BBC.

They stated Tanzanian produce, particularly potatoes, had been bigger and of higher high quality.

Others stated their prospects most popular Tanzanian plantains over Malawian ones, describing the previous as tastier, whereas the latter had been typically spongy.

However since Thursday, Malawian authorities, each on the border and in close by markets, have grow to be more and more strict – typically arresting merchants discovered with Tanzanian produce.

“After we deliver items from Tanzania, they flip us again. One in every of us was stopped and arrested proper on the border,” one other dealer stated.

A few of them stated they’d no thought why they had been being blocked whereas some wealthy enterprise individuals had been nonetheless allowed to move items throughout the border.

“They’re concentrating on us who’ve little capital, whereas these with huge cash are nonetheless bringing in items,” stated Ms Chanya, who sells potatoes and bananas in Karonga market.

Following the crackdown, some merchants have resorted to promoting their items in secret, afraid to show them overtly for worry of arrest.

“We solely carry three or 4 bunches [of bananas], simply to earn a residing for the kids,” stated Evelina Mwakijungu, including: “However our giant consignments have been blocked, so we’ve got no enterprise – we’re combating our households”.

The usually bustling border crossing of Kasumulu remained noticeably quieter than standard with drivers seen enjoyable within the shade of timber, whereas others performed draughts or lounged at the back of their lorries.

They declined to be quoted straight however defined that they had been merely ready for phrase from their bosses on what to do subsequent.

On a standard day, greater than 15 lorries loaded with agricultural produce would cross the border, drivers informed the BBC.

Malawi’s commerce ministry spokesperson Patrick Botha informed native media that they had been but to get official communication on the problem.

“We’re listening to [about] this from social media. At an applicable time, we’ll remark,” he was quoted as saying.

Malawi has grow to be an more and more necessary marketplace for Tanzanian items in recent times, with exports trebling between 2018 and 2023, based on official Tanzanian figures.

However landlocked Malawi, which has relied on Tanzanian ports to hold its exports reminiscent of tobacco, sugar and soybeans to the remainder of the world, should reroute its items.

It’s not but clear how arduous South Africa, which exports varied fruits, together with apples and grapes, to Tanzania, might be hit by the ban. South African authorities are but to remark.

The row comes at a time when Africa is meant to be transferring in direction of better free commerce by the institution of a continent-wide free-trade space, which started working 4 years in the past.

Further reporting by Wycliffe Muia