Tanzania and Uganda slap Kenya with new maize import policies

NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenyan grain traders seeking to import maize from Tanzania will now be required to register their companies in Dar es Salaam as the country imposes stricter rules to protect its commodities and jobs from shifting abroad.

The new measure by Tanzania, which comes as a new trade barrier between the two countries, will impact Kenya’s food security as the country relies heavily on cross-border stocks from this East African nation to bridge the annual deficit.

A notice issued by Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture wants foreign traders to register their companies in Tanzania to enjoy better terms and ensure a smoother flow of their commodities across the border.

Tanzania’s Agriculture minister Hussein Bashe said in an interview with The Citizen that the country has not stopped the issuance of permits but has put processes to control the arbitrary export of grains.

The measures include the mandatory requirement to secure export permits and the need for foreign exporters to register their entities domestically.

“The ministry urges those who are not Tanzanians to register their companies and to follow the law of the land so that they can benefit from doing grain business in the country,” said the Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture in a notice. 

Measures

Data from the Eastern Africa Grain Council shows imports from Tanzania nearly grew five-fold last year to 469,474 tonnes from 98,000 tonnes in 2020, making it the most prominent grain exporter in the country.

The raft of measures issued by Tanzania a fortnight ago also makes it mandatory for importers and exporters of grain to register with the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) and obtain a trading permit.

Traders will also be required to present a tax clearance certificate and show a business permit issued by BRELA, allowing them to trade on grain before exporting the commodities.

Before this, Kenyan traders bringing in maize from Tanzania were only required to have export permits, according to United Grain Millers Association chairperson Ken Nyaga.

These strict conditions have seen traders cut imports from Tanzania, worsening the situation locally, given a limited supply of maize locally.

Some millers and animal feed manufacturers raised concerns early in the week that Tanzania had stopped issuing permits last week, cutting the grain supply locally.

However, Dar es Salaam has dismissed the claims surrounding the export permits, urging traders from Kenya to follow the proper procedures.

GAROWE ONLINE