Malawi Must Prioritise Export Standards to Compete Globally, Says UKMCC CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of the UK-Malawi Chamber of Commerce (UKMCC), Hannington Gondwe, has urged Malawi to prioritise strict adherence to export standards, warning that the country risks losing hard-won market access and critical foreign exchange unless decisive action is taken. His remarks follow a report published by The Nation newspaper on 25 June 2025, which revealed that 200,000 metric tonnes of Malawian sesame had been rejected by Japanese buyers due to substandard quality.

The rejected sesame consignment, which failed to meet international food safety requirements, has become a stark reminder of the challenges facing Malawi’s export sector. Gondwe described the incident as more than a setback for sesame producers. He said it reflects deeper systemic issues that could damage Malawi’s reputation as a reliable trading partner if left unaddressed.

 

“This is about more than sesame,” Gondwe said. “It’s about the credibility of Malawi as an export nation. In today’s global markets, quality is the new currency. Without meeting international specifications, we cannot hope to compete or grow.”

 

According to the Malawi Bureau of Standards, the shipment was found to contain unacceptable levels of aflatoxins and failed on several parameters relating to storage and handling. These quality failures not only resulted in financial loss to the exporter but also dealt a blow to the country’s overall export credibility.

 

Gondwe noted that with the decline in tobacco earnings and increasing pressure on foreign exchange reserves, Malawi cannot afford to lose out on the potential offered by emerging export crops. He stressed that the country must now treat compliance with international standards as a central pillar of its export strategy.

 

“Every rejected shipment is a loss not just to the exporter, but to the national economy,” he said. “We need to create a culture of compliance that runs through the entire value chain—from the smallholder farmer to the final exporter.”

 

He called for a coordinated national response, including strengthening the Malawi Bureau of Standards, improving testing infrastructure, training producers and exporters, and ensuring better regulatory enforcement. Gondwe said that without these structural improvements, Malawi risks repeating similar incidents across a wider range of products.

 

Despite the recent setback, Gondwe believes the situation presents an opportunity to learn and reform. He encouraged stakeholders to treat the sesame incident as a teachable moment, using it as a catalyst to drive quality assurance improvements across all export sectors.

 

“If we can fix the gaps and raise our standards, we will not only restore trust in Malawian sesame but also boost the performance of our entire export economy,” he said.

 

The UK-Malawi Chamber of Commerce works to promote trade and investment between the two countries and has pledged to support efforts aimed at raising Malawi’s export standards. Gondwe reiterated that Malawi can and should be known internationally for exporting high-quality, reliable products—but only if quality becomes non-negotiable at every stage of production and trade.

He concluded by saying, “let us rise to the challenge—and ensure that ‘Made in Malawi’ becomes a mark of trust, not a cause for rejection”.

 

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