Malawi Enforces Maize Export Ban Amid Deepening Food Crisis

Malawi’s government has announced a sweeping ban on the export of maize and maize‑based products in an effort to protect domestic food supplies amid what officials describe as a deepening national food crisis. The move follows a season of poor harvests and rising hunger risk across the country.

On November 6, 2025, the Ministry of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism declared that maize exports would remain restricted under the Control of Goods Act of 2018, noting that maize is classified as a licensable public commodity and that any individuals or businesses found exporting without authorisation will face legal action.
The ministry emphasised that the restriction is part of the government’s ongoing strategy to safeguard national food security, stabilise maize prices, and shield the livelihoods of the majority of Malawians who depend on maize as their staple food.

The numbers driving this decision are stark: Malawi’s maize harvest this year is estimated at only 2.9 million metric tonnes, falling short of the national requirement of approximately 3.7 million tonnes.
A report by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) places the number of people facing hunger between now and the next harvest in March 2026 at around 4 million, roughly 22 percent of the country’s projected 18.5 million population.
Meanwhile, the price of maize has surged by at least 50 percent over the past year, according to humanitarian monitoring groups.

Government officials also note that two weeks prior to the export restriction, the President declared a state of national disaster in 11 districts hit hardest by the shortfall. The dry spells that contributed to the poor harvest are part of a longer‑term climate pattern affecting Malawi’s agriculture.

The government did not wait solely on the ban: Malawi has ordered 200,000 tons of maize from neighbouring Zambia in a bid to plug the gap.
Despite this import measure, relief agencies say the scale of the crisis remains high. The World Food Programme (WFP) has said it expects to launch relief efforts in the Malawian districts with the biggest food deficits, although it faces a budget shortfall of around US$ 69 million to meet its food‑distribution target.

Trade sector stakeholders have weighed in. The Grain Traders Association of Malawi publicly supported the export ban, with its president arguing that domestic food needs must come first. Meanwhile, economists cautioned that while the ban may be the right short‑term policy to protect food security and stabilise prices, it may carry long‑term risks to agricultural production incentives.

Malawi’s export ban is not a new policy. The country has used similar restrictions since at least 2005 as a food‑security measure. However, research shows that such bans tend to deliver short‑term relief rather than sustainable outcomes. They can discourage production, distort markets, and often benefit urban consumers more than smallholder rural farmers.

The context of this crisis is broader than just one failed harvest. Malawi, whose economy relies heavily on agriculture and where more than 80 percent of the population depends on rain‑fed farming, faces repeated threats from climate shocks such as droughts, cyclones, and erratic rainfall. In August 2025, a report noted that nearly 80 percent of Malawi’s agriculture is rain‑dependent, leaving communities particularly vulnerable.

With this year’s maize shortfall and the looming gap until the next harvest, the government’s strategy centres on stabilisation: secure supply, stem further price hikes, discourage speculative export behaviour, and strengthen food reserve mechanisms for the future. Yet, the ban also raises difficult questions: will this stop the crisis or merely delay its effects? Will farmers who rely on export income now reduce production next season? Will Malawi’s export restrictions serve rural livelihoods or mainly protect urban consumers?

In practical terms, the export ban means traders cannot legally ship maize or maize‑based products out of Malawi without a licence. Enforcement will be handled by trade authorities and legal action promised for violations. The ministry has called on the public to alert authorities if they suspect illegal exports.

There are immediate signs of early impact: maize bag prices that had soared above 100,000 Malawian kwacha for a 50 kg bag are now reportedly between 50,000 and 55,000 kwacha following government importation efforts and the announcement of the ban. Economists describe the export restriction as timely and necessary to help stabilise prices and prevent hoarding by traders who might push volumes out of the country.

From a policy‑perspective, Malawi’s challenge will now be two‑fold: first, to ensure the ban is effectively enforced without unintended consequences for supply chains and farming incentives; and second, to build resilience against future failures through diversification, climate‑resilient agriculture, and stronger grain‑reserve systems. Heavy reliance on maize makes the entire national food supply vulnerable to a single crop failure. Historical food‑security research on Malawi underlines that maize dominance has long been a structural risk.

For the millions of Malawians now facing hunger, the ban is a necessary short‑term brake. But unless matched by deeper reforms and international support, it risks being a stop‑gap measure that buys time rather than permanently fixes structural vulnerability. The coming months will test whether Malawi can stabilise supply and protect vulnerable households while laying the groundwork for a more sustainable agricultural future.

Malawi Bans Export of Raw Minerals to Boost Industrial Growth