Non-Tariff Barriers

Complaint

Complaint number

NTB-001-200  

NTB Type

2.4. Import licensing  

Complaint

In June 2024, a member of Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nuline Textiles Blanket Manufacturers Limited, entered into an agreement with a Zimbabwean company, Middlefield Investment Pvt. Ltd, to supply them with blankets.
Starting on July 11, 2024, Nuline Textiles Blanket Manufacturers Limited completed all the necessary procedures in Malawi to facilitate the export of blankets to Zimbabwe under the COMESA trade agreement to ensure they would receive preferential treatment. On July 16, 2024, the Export Bill of Entry No. E 3645 (dated July 15, 2024) was released by Customs in Malawi, and the consignment was loaded onto Truck No. NE 10666 / NE 10702.
However, on the same day, just as the truck driver was about to depart, Nuline Textiles received a call from their client in Zimbabwe, instructing them to hold off on the shipment. The following day, the client, Middlefield Investment Pvt. Ltd, informed Nuline Textiles that the blankets required an import permit or license, which the client had not yet obtained. They assured Nuline Textiles that they were working to secure the permit as quickly as possible.
On July 18, 2024, Middlefield Investment Pvt. Ltd requested additional time to work on obtaining the import license and asked Nuline Textiles to offload the truck and return the blankets to their warehouse.
As of today, the import license has still not been secured.  

Progress update note

1. During the SADC Regional Meeting on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) held from 14–15 April 2026, the National Focal Points from Malawi and Zimbabwe met to discuss this NTB.
It was noted that Zimbabwe’s domestic blanket manufacturing industry has been facing significant challenges due to the influx of imported blankets, which has led to market saturation and negatively affected local producers. As a result, the Government of Zimbabwe introduced measures aimed at protecting and supporting the growth of the domestic industry by restricting the importation of blankets.
Furthermore, it was clarified that, in accordance with Statutory Instrument 59 of 2026, the current position allows individuals to import one blanket per person every month. This measure is intended to balance support for the domestic industry while still permitting limited personal imports.  

Policy or regulatory NTB

No 

Location

Zimbabwe: Ministry of Trade (Government institution)  

Reporting Country or Region

Malawi  

Country specific trade issue

No  

Date of incident

2024-07-16  

Status

New  

Product Description

Bales of Blankets

Computer-assisted translation

• English
• Arabic
• French
• Portuguese

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Total value

29.00  

Date reported

2024-10-08 09:41  

Modified

2024-10-08 09:41