The National Agency for Plant Health and Pesticides in Tanzania has reached an agreement to share report information stating the status of maize from individual countries before ending the import ban imposed on the produce last month, citing food safety concerns.

In December 2023, the authority issued an import ban on maize and soybeans from Malawi because of a thorough Pest Risk Analysis that was carried out to update the phytosanitary import requirements of the produce from Malawi. The temporary ban also included an assessment of the risks associated with the introduction of genetically modified maize seeds.

However, both parties reached an agreement on Thursday during a virtual meeting involving plant health and pesticide control officials from both sides. The Director General of Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides (TPHPA), Prof. Joseph Ndunguru reported.

“We have passed through different issues to enable trade to continue. Therefore, we are currently finalizing reports that will be shared among institutions on both sides,” he said. “We have agreed on the timeline that these reports should be shared in the next few days because we have taken the issue with a sense of great urgency,” he insisted.

He further noted that Tanzania has prepared a report showing the state of its maize, stating that it would be exchanged with their Malawian counterparts. According to him, decisions would be made based on reports from both sides as institutions from both sides were entrusted with controlling crop pests. “The fact that the two institutions have met for deliberations is good news for traders and citizens in both countries,” he said.

This decision comes at a time when the World Food Programme (WFP) is reported to have started milling 30,000 metric tonnes of relief maize for Malawians. According to authorities, the first shipment of the milled grain is expected to arrive in the country next week. Ironically, the maize the WFP purchased for milling is from Tanzania, with reports saying that the grain was held up last week, awaiting the arrival of experts to test it for MLND.

However, the WFP country director in Malawi, Mr Paul Turnbul, told local media that, in the interests of time, it was agreed that no tests would be done and instead, the maize would be milled and flour imported to Malawi.

Speaking on the development, Prof Ndunguru said it was a normal exercise for WFP to procure, process, and distribute food to needy countries. “Even imported maize to Malawi will be directed to the milling facilities without providing room for possible diversions with the aim of using them as seeds for agriculture production,” “he said.