“My bananas were confiscated and destroyed”

Traders count their losses because Tanzania is clamped on people trying to throw a ban on goods from neighboring Malawi in the escalation of the regional trading line.

On Friday, entrepreneurs said the BBC that some traders were arrested on the second day of the ban imposed by Tanzania on all agricultural imports from Malawi and South Africa.

“My bananas were confiscated and destroyed. Now our business has brought losses, and we have only a little money left,” said Jostina Chani, a trader in the crown, about 50 km (30 miles) from the Tanzania border.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute failed, but the Tanzania Agriculture Minister said fresh talks were ongoing.

Last month, Malawi blocked the imports of flour, rice, ginger, bananas and corn from Tanzania and other countries, saying it should protect local manufacturers.

South Africa has been banned from entering Tanzania for many years.

On Thursday, Tanzania’s Agriculture Minister Hussein Bash said trade restrictions from these two countries “directly touched” merchants from their country and called the trade barrier as “unfair and harmful”.

Bashn has announced an immediate ban on all agricultural imports from the two countries, “to protect our business interests.”

Trade flows were strongly affected by Kasumul – the official crossing of the border between Tanzania and Malawi.

When the BBC visited the Malavian city of Caronga, the merchants – mostly women – said they were still shocked at the sight of their products that were slowly rotting, and eventually thrown after being denied to enter Tanzania.

“The losses I suffered is big because I can’t buy anything anymore, and I don’t even know how I will feed my children,” said June.

But the Tanzanic traders were also injured.

Saturday Minister of Agriculture Tanzania Posted a video on social networks showing a bunch of rotten bananas In a truck that was not allowed to enter Malawi.

Tons of tomatoes also went bad at the border recently after trucks from Tanzania refused to enter Malawi.

Malavichy traders, such as Jennif Mshani, said they preferred agricultural goods from Tanzania because it was easier and accessible to find them across the border.

“Tanzanian products are great and sold very well on the market, and their prices are good. Our local (Malawi) products are more expensive. I have nothing to do – I have no way to compete with those (in which large capital). I just can’t,” she said BBC.

They said Tanzanian products, especially potatoes, were of greater and better quality.

Others say their customers preferred the Tanzanian plantain over Malavian, describing the first tastier and the second is often spongy.

But from Thursday, Malawi authorities, both on the border and in the nearby markets, are becoming more rigorous – often arresting traders with Tanzanic products.

“When we bring the goods from Tanzania, they returned us back. One of us was stopped and arrested right on the border,” another trader said.

Some of them said they did not imagine why they were blocked, and some rich business people were still allowed to transport goods across the border.

“They are aimed at us who have little capital, and those who have big money still bring goods,” said Ms Chana, who sells potatoes and bananas on the Caronga market.

After the repression, some traders appealed to the sale of their goods secretly, fearing them openly, fearing arrest.

“We only carry three -four bundles (from bananas) to make a living for children,” said Evelyn Mvitzhung, adding: “But our big parties were blocked, so we do not have – we fight our families.”

Usually, the lively border crossing of the cassumulus remained noticeably quieter than usual, and the drivers saw how they relaxed in the shade of trees, and others played in the drafts or plot in the back of their trucks.

They refused to quote them directly, but explained that they were just waiting for the word from their superiors what to do next.

On a normal day, more than 15 trucks loaded with agricultural products cross the border, BBC drivers said.

The press secretary of the Ministry of Trade Malawi Patrick Bot told local media that they should still receive an official connection on the issue.

“We hear (about it) from social media. We will comment in the appropriate time,” he said.

In recent years, Malawi has become an increasingly important market for Tanzania’s goods, and exports from 2018 to 2023, according to official Tanzanic figures.

But she left for departure from Malawi, who relied on the Tanzanian desks to move her exports, such as tobacco, sugar and soy to the rest of the world, will have to redirect their goods.

It is not yet clear how tough South Africa exports various fruits, including apples and grapes, to Tanzania, will be affected by the ban. South Africa’s authorities have not yet a comment.

The line goes at a time when Africa has to move to more free trade through the creation of a free trade area that began four years ago.

Additional reporting WYCLIFFE MUIA