Malawi Customs Status & U.S. Trade Treatment

At a glance

U.S. trade agreement

None

Average duty rate, August 2026

0.81%

Duty on U.S. imports

$16K

U.S. imports / exports

$2.1M / $2.0M a month

Agreements per the U.S. Trade Representative; customs territory per the European Commission. Duty is what the Census Bureau calculates for the month, not what was paid; a product's rate can differ widely from the country average.

Top U.S. imports from Malawi

These 5 make up 93% of U.S. imports from Malawi in the latest month.

1. Partly or Wholly Stemmed/Stripped Tobacco Leaf HS 240120$1.0M
2. Black Tea & Other Partly Fermented Tea, Bulk — NESOI HS 090240$387K
3. Rubber or Plastic Footwear Covering the Ankle (Non-Waterproof, NESOI) HS 640291$200K
4. Raw Cane Sugar, Solid Form, Without Added Flavoring or Coloring, NESOI HS 170114$141K
5. Taps, Cocks, Valves & Similar Appliances for Pipes and Vats (Including Thermostatically Controlled), NESOI HS 848180$140K

Top U.S. exports to Malawi

These 5 make up 82% of U.S. exports to Malawi in the latest month.

1. Special Purpose Motor Vehicles (NESOI) HS 870590$623K
2. Iron or Steel Chain, NESOI (Other Types) HS 731589$390K
3. Low-Value Export Shipments & Canadian Estimated Late Receipts HS 988000$315K
4. Parts of Machinery for Preparing or Making Up Tobacco HS 847890$270K
5. Automatic Data Processing Units (NESOI) HS 847180$60K

Trade overview

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.