Ray of hope for  legumes exports

Legume Exports: A Beacon of Growth for Malawi’s Economy

Post was last updated: November 15, 2025

Key Business Points

  • The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has acquired a $1 million chemical testing machine to ensure legumes meet global market standards, boosting export opportunities for local farmers and businesses.
  • The new equipment will enable MBS to test pesticide residues and other contaminants in legumes and oilseeds, reducing the risk of export rejection and increasing confidence in Malawi’s agricultural products.
  • With this advanced technology, MBS will be able to conduct timely and accurate testing, saving time and foreign exchange for exporters and enhancing the country’s industrialization and export growth.

Malawi’s business community can now breathe a sigh of relief as the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has taken a significant step to boost the country’s exports. The MBS has acquired a $1 million chemical testing machine, courtesy of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), to ensure that legumes meet global market standards. This move is a game-changer for the country’s agricultural sector, particularly for sesame farmers who have been struggling to meet the stringent quality requirements of international markets.

According to MBS deputy director general Thomas Senganimalunje, the equipment will greatly enhance the national capacity to test and monitor pesticide residues in agricultural produce, ensuring that the food consumed locally and exported abroad is safe, of high quality, and compliant with international standards. This is a major breakthrough for Malawi’s exporters, who have been facing rejection of up to 70% of their sesame exports due to non-compliance with pesticide residue and quality requirements.

The Ministry of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism has also welcomed the development, saying that the equipment will enable MBS to conduct timely, accurate, and reliable testing for pesticide residues, helping local producers, farmers, and exporters to meet both national and international food safety standards. As Clement Phangaphanga, director of industry, noted, this will expand access to regional and global markets for Malawi’s agricultural products.

The WFP country director, Hyoung-Joon Lim, observed that the use of the equipment will help Malawi unlock structured markets and elevate the country’s position in regional and global trade, especially for high-value crops such as sesame, cowpeas, and sorghum. With a guaranteed export market of 200,000 metric tonnes of sesame in Japan, Malawi’s farmers and exporters are poised to benefit from this new opportunity.

In Chichewa, this development can be described as "kutengera tsoka la ubale", or opening up new markets for our products. As Driana Lwanda, chairperson of the Sesame Development Trust, noted, there are efforts by various players to develop the sesame value chain, which is used for oil production and in confectionery. With the new equipment in place, Malawi’s sesame exports are likely to increase, and local farmers can expect better prices for their produce.

Overall, the acquisition of the chemical testing machine is a significant step forward for Malawi’s agricultural sector, and it is expected to boost exports, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth. As the country continues to "kukhwima mtengo", or grow its economy, this development is a welcome addition to the efforts of the government and private sector to promote industrialization and export growth.

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Vanessa Banda
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