Tanzania and Malawi Target Value Addition and Regional Supply Chains to Expand Bilateral Trade, Starting With Soy
Tanzania and Malawi are shifting their bilateral trade strategy from raw commodity exchange to joint value addition and shared supply chains. Officials are prioritizing sectors like soybean processing to boost regional economic growth.
Why it matters
This shift represents a strategic move toward regional industrialization and economic integration in East and Southern Africa.
Tanzania-Malawi bilateral trade should move to joint value addition and shared supply chains rather than raw commodity exchange, ministers and investment agencies from both countries told at the 3rd Malawi-Tanzania Investment and Trade Forum .
The Forum runs from 7 to 9 September 2026 at the headquarters of the Tanzania Trade Development Authority ( TanTrade ) in Dar es Salaam, during which it was highlighted that Tanzanian exports to Malawi stand at USD 89.46 million against USD 15.169 million of imports, a surplus that has widened by nearly 79% over five years.
The Minister of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism of Malawi, Simon Itaye, said Malawi can supply raw materials including soybeans for processing by Tanzanian industry , with the finished goods sold in both markets and beyond.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in