Trade partner
U.S. Imports
$2.1M
August 2026
U.S. Exports
$2.0M
August 2026
Trade deficit
$60K
August 2026 · U.S. imports more than it exports
In August 2026 the United States imported $2.1M from Malawi and exported $2.0M to it, across 37 imported product categories.
Over the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $53.7M from Malawi and exported $24.2M to it. U.S. goods imports from Malawi of $2.1M in August 2026 ran 55% below the year-to-date monthly average of $4.6M.
Landlocked in southeastern Africa, Malawi is a smallholder-driven agricultural exporter whose US-bound trade is concentrated in tobacco leaf, tea, sugar, and macadamia nuts. Its export base is narrow, making commodity price cycles and seasonal crop yields the primary drivers of bilateral trade volume. Importers sourcing Malawian goods should account for inland transit logistics through Mozambique or Tanzania, which can affect lead times and documentation requirements.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
Tobacco leaf dominates Malawi's export profile to the US, with tea, sugar, and macadamia nuts also appearing regularly. The country's agricultural focus means most US-bound shipments fall under food and agricultural HTS chapters.
As a landlocked country, Malawi relies on road and rail corridors through Mozambique or Tanzania to reach seaports. This inland leg adds transit time and introduces additional documentation layers — including transit country customs clearances — that importers should factor into lead-time planning and insurance coverage.
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Annual data from BEA | 2025
Services Exports
$97.0M
Services Imports
$67.0M
The top U.S. imports from Malawi are Partly or Wholly Stemmed/Stripped Tobacco Leaf, Black Tea & Other Partly Fermented Tea (Bulk —) and Rubber or Plastic Footwear Covering the Ankle…, by value in the latest month.
| Rank | Product | Import value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.0M | |
| 2 | $387K | |
| 3 | $200K | |
| 4 | $141K | |
| 5 | $140K | |
| 6 | $100K | |
| 7 | $28K | |
| 8 | $12K | |
| 9 | Estimated Imports of Low-Valued TransactionsChapter 99 · Special Import Reporting Provisions | $7K |
| 10 | $4K |
| Rank | Product | Export value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $623K | |
| 2 | $390K | |
| 3 | Low-Value Export Shipments & Canadian Estimated Late Receipts |
| $315K |
| 4 | $270K |
| 5 | $60K |
| 6 | $36K |
| 7 | $35K |
| 8 | $33K |
| 9 | $31K |
| 10 | $30K |