Food Crop Export Permit Tanzania: COPRA Permits, Plant Health, Export Bans and Zanzibar
How do you get a food crop export permit in Tanzania? On the Mainland, register as a dealer with COPRA under the Food Security Act, Cap. 249, then apply online for an export permit for each consignment. The 2026 Regulations list no fee for that permit. Add a TPHPA phytosanitary certificate (TZS 130,000 plus inspection, F0376), the council cess receipt and a TANCIS export entry. Zanzibar runs its own system.
This guide covers the food crop export permit in Tanzania for maize, rice, beans, sorghum and pulses, from COPRA and plant health to export bans, Zanzibar and a worked example.
What is new for the 2026/27 season
Three developments shape food crop exports this season. None of them is a ban.
New permit regulations. The Food Security (Registration, Permits and Licensing) Regulations, 2026 were published on 30 June 2026. The text posted by COPRA prints the notice number as GN 258P, while its file name says 158P.
A large state purchase plan. The Citizen reported on 25 June 2026 that the National Food Reserve Agency plans to buy 1.2 million tonnes of cereals in 2026/27 after a bumper harvest. On 10 September 2026 it reported that buying in Njombe would start at TZS 450 a kilogram.
Draft production standards. On 12 October 2026 Mwananchi reported that COPRA took stakeholder comments in Morogoro on draft sustainable production standards. They cover maize, rice, wheat, beans, pigeon peas, green grams, lentils and soybeans. The COPRA website carried related headlines on 13 and 14 October 2026. No final text or start date has been published.
What the law says
A food crop export from the Mainland sits on four layers of law.
- The Food Security Act, Cap. 249 R.E. 2023. This chapter now carries the provisions first enacted as the Cereals and Other Produce Act, No. 19 of 2009. The consolidated text published by COPRA makes the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA) the issuer of import and export permits (s.4(2)(h)). It also controls exports and imports of cereals and other produce (s.4(2)(i)).
- The 2026 permit regulations. Regulation 8 sets out the export permit. Regulation 16 requires a yearly assessment of domestic demand that sets the quantities that may be exported or imported.
- The Plant Health Act, 2020. The Act on TanzLII created the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA) under section 4. Section 30 governs the export phytosanitary certificate. Section 2 applies the Act to Mainland Tanzania only.
- Trade and customs law. The Business Licensing Act, Cap. 101, requires a Class A export licence. The East African Community customs law governs the export entry, which TRA processes in TANCIS.
Section 19(4) of Cap. 249 bars anyone from exporting cereals or other produce on a commercial basis without a COPRA licence. Section 42(2)(b) lets regulations direct or prohibit the movement of produce inside or outside the country. That power, with the demand assessment in regulation 16, is the legal root of a temporary export restriction.
Our guide to COPRA registration covers the dealer side in detail.
Who is affected
- Grain and pulse exporters shipping maize, rice, beans, sorghum, millet, pigeon peas, green grams or chickpeas;
- Cross-border traders supplying Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the DRC, Zambia and Malawi by road;
- Foreign buyers who want to source in Tanzania and ship out;
- Millers exporting maize flour, rice or bran;
- Aggregators, AMCOS and Zanzibar traders selling food crops for export.
Regional demand is the main driver. The USDA Grain and Feed Annual for 2025 says Kenya takes over 90 percent of Tanzania's maize exports. It estimated maize exports at about 1,000,000 tonnes for 2024/25. TanzaniaInvest reported, citing the Bank of Tanzania, that cereal exports rose to USD 501.3 million in the year to June 2025.
Which approvals does a food crop export need?
There is no single "export permit" that covers everything. Our guide to export permits and documentation explains the stack for all goods. For food crops on the Mainland, it looks like this.
| Approval | Issued by | When | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company or business name, TIN | BRELA and TRA | Once | Companies Act Cap. 212; tax laws |
| Class A licence, exportation of agriculture goods | BRELA on TNBP | Yearly | Cap. 101 Schedule (F0865) |
| Dealer (trader) registration | COPRA | Before trading | Cap. 249 s.14; reg. 5 |
| COPRA licence and purchase permit | COPRA | Per season | Cap. 249 s.19; reg. 10 |
| Electronic crop cess receipt | District council | On purchase | Cap. 290 (F0547); reg. 8(1)(d) |
| Export permit | COPRA | Each consignment | Cap. 249 s.4(2)(h); reg. 8 |
| Phytosanitary certificate | TPHPA | Each consignment, where the buyer's country requires it | Plant Health Act 2020 s.30 (F0376) |
| Certificate of origin | TCCIA on the Mainland | Each consignment claiming EAC or SADC preference | EAC and SADC rules of origin |
| Export declaration | Clearing agent in TANCIS | Each consignment | EAC customs law; TRA procedure |
Crops with their own boards follow a different route. Our overview of the crop boards covers coffee, cashew, cotton and tea, and our sesame export guide covers the auction crop that COPRA also regulates.
How do you apply for a COPRA export permit?
Under regulation 8, a registered dealer applies on Form No. 7. The application attaches:
- a copy of the COPRA registration certificate;
- a copy of a valid business licence;
- a copy of the cargo invoice or sales contract;
- the council's electronic receipt for crop levy;
- proof of shipment under any earlier permit; and
- any other information COPRA asks for.
COPRA issues the permit on Form No. 8 for a single consignment. Regulation 18 gives COPRA fourteen days to decide a complete application and seven days to give reasons for a refusal. A permit is valid for the period it states, and never more than a year (reg. 12). It cannot be sold or transferred (reg. 14).
Which online system? Older guides point to ATMIS, the Ministry of Agriculture's Agricultural Trade Management Information System. Kilimo Kwanza dates its launch to 1 June 2020. The ATMIS home page we read in October 2026 carried no news later than 2021.
The live route is COPRA's own. Its website links dealer registration to the Ministry's registration system and import and export permits to the TRA single window and e-Kilimo. The Daily News reported on 31 July 2025 that COPRA's system issues export permits and tracks consignments. Confirm the current channel with COPRA before you file.
Three points trip up first-time exporters:
- the cess receipt must come before the permit, so buy from a district that issues electronic receipts;
- a new permit needs proof that the last one was used, so keep each bill of lading or border exit record; and
- wheat and barley need the Minister's approval (s.4(4)), so do not quote a wheat buyer a delivery date before that approval arrives.
What does the phytosanitary certificate cost?
Section 30(1) of the Plant Health Act applies where the importing country requires a phytosanitary certificate. The exporter applies to TPHPA, provides the documents, presents the consignment for inspection and pays the fees. TPHPA then inspects and certifies, or denies certification where the destination's conditions are not met (s.30(5)).
The TPHPA website links its digital phytosanitary certificate to the Ministry's e-Kilimo portal. Fees come from the Plant Health (Amendment) Regulations, GN 929 of 2024, as recorded in the register.
| Charge | Amount | Register ID |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial phytosanitary certificate | TZS 130,000 per certificate | F0376 |
| Export inspection, first 1,000 kg | TZS 25,000 | F0376 |
| Inspection, cereals and pulses, 1,000 kg to 1,000,000 kg | TZS 8 per kg above 1,000 kg | F0376 |
| Inspection, cereals and pulses, above 1,000,000 kg | TZS 7 per kg above the threshold | F0376 |
| Inspection, cash and oil crops (for comparison) | TZS 13 per kg, or TZS 12 above 1,000,000 kg | F0376 |
Maize, rice, beans, sorghum and pulses fall in the lower cereals and pulses band. The certificate and base inspection charge repeat for each consignment. Our note on phytosanitary certificates explains the inspection sequence and the destination wording.
Exporting otherwise than under the Act is an offence under section 59(1)(h). The fine for a body corporate runs from TZS 10 million to TZS 500 million.
Which quality standards apply to maize, rice and beans?
The Tanzania Bureau of Standards publishes national standards, most of them adopted East African Standards. Maize grain follows TZS 438:2014, which is EAS 2:2013, according to the tripartite trade barriers register. The 2011 edition of EAS 2 caps total aflatoxins at 10 µg/kg, aflatoxin B1 at 5 µg/kg and moisture at 13.0 percent.
Beans have a grading table in COPRA's 2024 beans trade guideline. Grade 1 allows 0.5 percent foreign matter and 14 percent moisture, in new 50 kg bags. The guideline also names COPRA as the issuer of bean export permits.
No Tanzanian law we read requires a TBS certificate for every raw grain export. The buyer's contract and the importing country decide that. Importing authorities can test for aflatoxin at entry, so test before loading and keep the lab report with the permit.
What role does the National Food Reserve Agency play?
The National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) buys and stores the national grain reserve. It does not issue export permits. Its role matters to exporters in three ways.
- It sets a price floor in practice. When NFRA buys at a stated price, such as the TZS 450 a kilogram reported for Njombe in September 2026, private buyers have to match it.
- It competes as a seller. The Guardian reported in February 2025 that NFRA had contracted 650,000 tonnes to Zambia, 500,000 tonnes to the DRC and 35,000 tonnes to the WFP.
- Its stocks feed the export decision. The demand assessment under regulation 16 weighs reserve levels. A low reserve makes an export restriction more likely.
The same report says NFRA was established by GN No. 81 of 13 June 2008 and renewed by GN No. 120 of 2016. NFRA also sells maize and paddy by public notice, which exporters can buy and ship under their own permits.
How are temporary export bans announced?
Tanzania rarely gazettes a food export ban. Restrictions usually arrive as a pause in permit issue, announced by the Ministry or COPRA in a letter, a press briefing or a statement in Parliament. The legal basis is the Minister's power over produce movement (s.42(2)(b)) and the demand assessment (reg. 16).
| Date | What happened | How it was announced | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 June 2023 | Export permits for maize, maize flour and rice temporarily suspended; trucks held at Mutukula, Namanga and Holili | Ministry of Agriculture letter | The Cooperator, 21 Jun 2023; The Africa Report, 13 Jun 2023 |
| June 2023 | Foreign traders told to register a local office and hold a Tanzanian trading licence | Minister's statements | The Africa Report, 13 Jun 2023 |
| 30 April 2025 | Existing maize and rice export permits expire | COPRA media briefing | Milling MEA, 23 Apr 2025 |
| From 1 May 2025 | Nationwide maize and rice stock assessment; new permits to follow its findings | COPRA media briefing | Milling MEA, 23 Apr 2025 |
The Cooperator quoted the 2023 letter: permits for corn, corn flour and rice "has been temporarily suspended". The Africa Report described about 200 Kenyan trucks stuck for over two weeks.
The most recent restriction we could verify is the 2025 cycle. Milling MEA reported on 23 April 2025 that COPRA's Director General, Irene Mlola, announced the 30 April expiry and the 1 May assessment. We found no published COPRA notice giving a date when new permits resumed. Cereal export earnings for the year to June 2025 still tripled, which suggests permits were issued again within that period.
The USDA report adds that traders describe the permit process as "increasingly stringent and bureaucratic". Researchers at Sokoine University and ANAPRI argued in a May 2026 trade brief that restrictions should be time-bound, rules-based and publicly announced.
A sales contract should name a government permit suspension in its force majeure clause.
Do EAC and SADC rules protect a Tanzanian exporter?
Partly. Under the EAC Common Market Protocol, Partner States commit to free movement of goods and to eliminating non-tariff barriers. Article 13 of the Customs Union Protocol bars new non-tariff barriers on goods from other Partner States.
Maize, rice and beans grown in Tanzania are wholly produced goods under rule 4 of the EAC Rules of Origin Rules, 2015. With a certificate of origin they enter other Partner States duty free (F0308). The SADC rules of origin manual treats vegetable products harvested in a member state the same way, under a SADC certificate of origin.
These rules lower the importer's duty. They do not replace Tanzania's export permit, and they have not stopped permit pauses. A barrier at a border can be reported through the EAC non-tariff barrier mechanism, but that route is slow.
Are there export levies on food crops?
Raw maize, rice, beans, sorghum and pulses carry no export tax. The Export Tax Act, Cap. 196 lists only scheduled goods, and exports are zero-rated for VAT (F0343). Since 1 July 2026, though, bran is taxed.
- Maize, rice and wheat bran: TZS 50 a kilogram (F0338, Cap. 196 item 8, added by the Finance Act 2026).
- Sunflower seed and crude sunflower oil: 10 percent of FOB (F0335), relevant to mixed oilseed traders.
- Council produce cess: capped at 3 percent of the farm-gate price, charged on the buyer, never on the seller (F0547, NEW-05-27).
The COPRA export permit has no fee in the Second Schedule of the 2026 Regulations. Registration and purchase permit fees are in that Schedule but not yet in the Zatra fee register, so we list them under Figures to confirm below. Our guide to export levies and charges for 2026 lists every scheduled export tax.
How does customs clearance work in TANCIS?
TRA's export procedures page requires the exporter to appoint a licensed clearing and forwarding agent. The agent uploads the invoice, packing list, TIN certificate, authorisation letter and agriculture permits into TANCIS, which serves both the Mainland and Zanzibar.
For sea freight the cargo is stuffed under TRA supervision and the shipping line files the manifest. Road exports clear at the border post, such as Namanga or Mutukula. Customs is a Union matter, so the same entry rules apply from Zanzibar.
The agent's fee is private. TASAC sets a floor of USD 150 for a 20 ft export container (F0384), but the agent bills it, not the government.
How does Zanzibar differ from the Mainland?
Agriculture is not a Union matter. The Food Security Act contains no provision extending it to Zanzibar, and the Plant Health Act applies to the Mainland only (s.2). A Zanzibar food crop exporter therefore deals with island authorities.
| Step | Mainland | Zanzibar |
|---|---|---|
| Company and trading licence | BRELA and Class A licence | BPRA and Zanzibar licensing |
| Crop export permit | COPRA, per consignment | Zanzibar Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock |
| Plant health certificate | TPHPA | Zanzibar agriculture ministry's plant protection service |
| Food safety | TBS | Zanzibar Food and Drugs Agency (ZFDA) |
| Tax | TRA | Zanzibar Revenue Authority for non-Union taxes |
| Certificate of origin | TCCIA | ZNCCIA |
| Customs entry | TANCIS (TRA) | TANCIS (TRA) |
The ZFDA website describes it as a regulator under the Zanzibar Ministry of Health and lists an import and export permit portal. The CTI export procedure for cloves, last updated July 2023, lists a Ministry export permit, a ZFDA health certificate and a Ministry phytosanitary certificate. The Daily News reported in June 2026 on an FAO project equipping that ministry's plant health inspectors.
We found no published Zanzibar procedure for maize, rice or beans exports. Treat the island route as a separate file and confirm it with the ministry and ZFDA in writing. Mainland grain shipped through a Zanzibar port still needs its Mainland permits. See our notes on registering with BPRA and on ZFDA in Zanzibar.
Worked example: exporting 300 tonnes of maize to Kenya
A Mainland company with COPRA registration and a Class A export licence buys 300 tonnes (300,000 kg) of white maize in Njombe. For illustration it pays the TZS 450 a kilogram NFRA benchmark reported in September 2026. It ships by road to Nairobi in ten trucks of 30 tonnes, each a separate consignment. Cess is assumed at the 3 percent cap.
| Item | Computation | TZS | Register ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maize purchase | 300,000 kg x TZS 450 | 135,000,000 | Illustrative price |
| Council produce cess | 3% x 135,000,000 | 4,050,000 | F0547 |
| Class A export licence | Principal place, yearly | 100,000 | F0865 |
| Phytosanitary certificates | 10 x 130,000 | 1,300,000 | F0376 |
| Inspection base charge | 10 x 25,000 | 250,000 | F0376 |
| Inspection per kg | 10 x 29,000 kg x TZS 8 | 2,320,000 | F0376 |
| COPRA export permits | 10 permits, no fee listed | 0 | GN 258P, Second Schedule |
| Export tax and VAT | None on maize grain; zero-rated | 0 | F0343 |
| Government charges on top of the maize | Sum | 8,020,000 |
The government charges add TZS 26.7 a kilogram, about 5.9 percent of the purchase price. If the same 300 tonnes went as one consignment, TPHPA would charge TZS 130,000 plus TZS 25,000 plus 299,000 kg x TZS 8. That totals TZS 2,547,000 instead of TZS 3,870,000, a saving of TZS 1,323,000.
By sea in twelve 20 ft containers, add the TPA Green Port charge of USD 50 a container (NEW-03-21), USD 600 in all. Add the shipping agency fee of USD 7.12 a container (F0388), USD 85.44 in all. The clearing agent's floor of USD 150 a container (F0384) is a private fee of at least USD 1,800. Keep TZS and USD totals separate.
Timeline. COPRA has fourteen days to decide a complete permit application. Zatra plans a further two to five working days for TPHPA inspection, the cess receipt and the TANCIS entry. On that estimate a well-prepared first consignment leaves about three weeks after purchase. Later consignments move faster once registration and the purchase permit are in place.
What to do now
- Check the season's position. Ask COPRA whether maize, rice and bean export permits are open and whether a demand assessment is running.
- Set up the exporter. Register the company with BRELA, take a TIN and the Class A agriculture export licence.
- Register with COPRA. File the dealer registration and the purchase permit for the regions where you will buy.
- Check ownership rules. On-farm crop purchasing is closed to non-citizens under GN 487A of 2025 (NEW-08-14). A foreign-owned exporter should buy through auctions, NFRA sales or licensed aggregators.
- Buy with receipts. Pay cess to the council of the growing district and collect the electronic receipt for each lot.
- Test the grain. Run aflatoxin and moisture tests against the buyer's standard before loading.
- File the permit and certificate. Apply for one COPRA permit and one TPHPA certificate per consignment.
- Clear and keep proof. Have your agent lodge the TANCIS entry, and keep the exit record for the next permit.
Key dates and deadlines
| Date or period | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 June 2020 | ATMIS launched | Kilimo Kwanza |
| 1 February 2021 | Plant Health Act, 2020 in force | TanzLII |
| 13 June 2023 | Maize, maize flour and rice export permits suspended | The Cooperator |
| 30 April and 1 May 2025 | Maize and rice permits expire; stock assessment begins | Milling MEA |
| 25 June 2026 | NFRA 1.2 million tonne purchase plan reported | The Citizen |
| 30 June 2026 | 2026 permit regulations published | COPRA |
| 1 July 2026 | TZS 50 a kg export tax on bran in force | F0338 |
| 10 September 2026 | NFRA Njombe buying at TZS 450 a kg reported | The Citizen |
| 12 to 14 October 2026 | COPRA consultation on draft production standards | Mwananchi, COPRA |
| Within 14 days | COPRA decision on a complete application | Reg. 18 |
| Within 60 days | Appeal to the Minister against suspension or cancellation | Cap. 249 s.21 |
How Zatra helps
Zatra's import and export compliance team registers exporters with COPRA, builds the permit file for each consignment and books the TPHPA inspection. Our business licensing service obtains the Class A export licence, and our sector permits service handles council and regulator filings. Foreign investors can start with our guide to starting an agriculture business, read about the warehouse receipt system, or visit the agriculture and trade desk.
Government fees, cess and levies are paid by the client to each authority at the official rate against its control number. They are separate from Zatra's professional fee, which our pricing page sets out. Our government fees handbook lists the official figures.
COPRA, TPHPA, the councils, TRA and the Zanzibar authorities decide every permit. Zatra prepares and coordinates the file; it does not decide or guarantee any authority's outcome. Seized consignments, prosecutions, permit appeals, contract disputes with buyers and formal legal opinions go to Zatra's advocate.
Sources and status
Accurate as at 17 October 2026. Settled: COPRA issues food crop export permits under Cap. 249 and GN 258P; TPHPA certifies plant health under the 2020 Act; Zanzibar runs separate agriculture and food regulators. Verify: the online channel, permit validity in practice and COPRA's Schedule fees. Unknown: the date permits resumed after the 2025 assessment and the Zanzibar grain procedure.
- Food Security Act, Cap. 249: COPRA, 20 Jul 2026. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- 2026 permit regulations: Ministry of Agriculture, 30 Jun 2026. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- COPRA website and beans trade guideline: COPRA, Oct 2026 and Jul 2024. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Plant Health Act, 2020: TanzLII, 19 Jun 2020. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- TPHPA, NFRA, TRA export procedures and ZFDA: official websites, 2026. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- EAC free movement of goods: EAC Secretariat, undated. SADC rules of origin manual: SADC, Nov 2003, posted 2021. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Grain and Feed Annual: USDA FAS Dar es Salaam, 2025. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Maize and rice stock assessment: Milling MEA, 23 Apr 2025. Permit suspension: The Cooperator, 21 Jun 2023. Border trade halts: The Africa Report, 13 Jun 2023. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- NFRA purchase plan: The Citizen, 25 Jun 2026. Njombe at TZS 450: The Citizen, 10 Sep 2026. NFRA exports: The Guardian, 18 Feb 2025. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- COPRA draft standards: Mwananchi, 12 Oct 2026. COPRA system: Daily News, 31 Jul 2025. Zanzibar plant health: Daily News via allAfrica, 29 Jun 2026. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Unlocking Tanzania's agricultural trade: SUA and ANAPRI, May 2026. Cereal exports: TanzaniaInvest, 22 Aug 2025. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
- Zanzibar clove export procedure: CTI, Jul 2023. ATMIS: Kilimo Kwanza, 31 Jul 2024. TZS 438: tradebarriers.org and EAS 2:2011: Public.Resource.Org. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
Figures to confirm before you act
- COPRA registration and purchase permit fees: in the GN 258P Second Schedule, not yet in the register (F0775)
- Export permit validity: up to one year (reg. 12); the permit states the period
- Notice number of the 2026 Regulations: the text prints GN 258P, the COPRA file name says 158P
- Online channel: TRA single window and e-Kilimo; ATMIS appears inactive
- TZS 450 benchmark and NFRA volumes: press reports only
- Council cess: 3 percent is the cap (F0547); each council's by-law sets the rate
- EAC certificate of origin fee: TCCIA assesses it on filing (F0341 marked Confirm)
- Zanzibar grain export procedure: not published in any source we found
- Register lines F0308, F0335, F0338, F0343, F0376, F0384, F0388, F0547, F0775, F0865, NEW-03-21, NEW-05-27, NEW-08-14: Zatra Handbook 06 register at 26 September 2026; the control number governs on the day of payment
This article is general information based on official sources available at the date of publication. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and notices change. Verify with the issuing authority or consult Zatra before acting.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Kenyan or Ugandan trader export maize from Tanzania in its own name?
Only through a registered Tanzanian presence. In 2023 the Minister told foreign traders to register a local office and hold a Tanzanian trading licence. COPRA registers dealers with a business licence and TIN, and on-farm buying is reserved for citizens. Most foreign buyers contract a Tanzanian exporter or buy through auctions.
Does maize flour need the same export permit as maize grain?
Yes, in practice. The 2023 suspension named maize flour alongside grain and rice, and GN No. 92 of 2026 added maize grits to the commodities COPRA regulates. A miller exporting flour should also check whether its packaging and labels meet the importing country's food rules before loading.
Can one COPRA export permit cover several trucks?
A permit covers one consignment. Whether several trucks form one consignment depends on how the permit, invoice and customs entry describe the shipment. Ask COPRA before loading. Splitting a shipment later usually means new permits and new phytosanitary certificates.
What happens to a truck already at the border when permits are suspended?
In 2023 trucks waited for weeks at Namanga, Holili and Mutukula, and traders asked for a grace period. There is no automatic right to cross on an old permit. Keep the permit, invoice and cess receipt together and ask COPRA in writing for clearance. An advocate should handle any seizure.
Do rice exports need the Minister's approval?
No. Section 4(4) of Cap. 249 names only wheat, barley and grape concentrate for ministerial approval. Rice exports were paused in 2023 and assessed in 2025, so check the current position with COPRA before contracting.
Is a TBS certificate needed for beans exported to Kenya?
No Tanzanian law we read requires one for raw beans. The importing country's authorities may test at entry, and some buyers ask for a quality certificate. Agree the standard, grade and testing laboratory in the contract before you load.
Can sorghum and millet be exported on the same file as maize?
Yes, if each consignment has its own permit. The Act defines cereals to include millet and sorghum, so the same COPRA registration covers them. Each crop needs its own invoice lines, and the phytosanitary certificate must name the right botanical species.
Who pays the council cess on food crops?
The buyer. Cap. 290 bars councils from charging cess on sellers and caps it at 3 percent of the farm-gate price. The exporter pays the council where the crop was grown and attaches the electronic receipt to the COPRA permit application.
Sources & regulators
Verify before filing: Rates, forms and thresholds move by Finance Act, Government Notice and portal revision. Confirm the live schedule on the mandate-holder portal before you budget or submit. Law-firm alerts and Big Four notes are discovery only.
- Food Security Act, Cap. 249 R.E. 2023: Office of the Attorney General, published by COPRA 20 Jul 2026, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source, ss.4(2)(h)-(i), 4(4), 14, 19, 21, 22, 37, 42(2)(b). Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Food Security (Registration, Permits and Licensing) Regulations, 2026, GN 258P: Ministry of Agriculture, 30 Jun 2026, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source, regs 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21 and Second Schedule. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- COPRA website: COPRA, homepage with news of 13 and 14 Oct 2026, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source on online services. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- COPRA: Mwongozo wa Biashara ya Zao la Maharage 2024: COPRA, TCDC, WRRB and TMX, Jul 2024, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source on bean grades and export permits. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Plant Health Act, 2020 (No. 4 of 2020): TanzLII, gazetted 19 Jun 2020, in force 1 Feb 2021, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source, ss.2, 4, 30, 59. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority: TPHPA website, notices to 25 Sep 2026, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- TRA: Export procedures: Tanzania Revenue Authority web page, 2026, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source on TANCIS and clearing agents. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- TRA single window (TeSWS) permit link: TRA, linked from the COPRA website, 2026, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- National Food Reserve Agency: NFRA website, announcements to 21 Oct 2025, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Zanzibar Food and Drugs Agency: ZFDA website, 2026, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source on Zanzibar food regulation. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- EAC: Free movement of goods: EAC Secretariat, undated page citing Rules of Origin Rules 2015, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- SADC Rules of Origin Exporters Guide Manual: SADC Sub-Committee on Customs Cooperation, Nov 2003, posted Aug 2021, read 17 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- USDA FAS: Tanzania Grain and Feed Annual (TZ2025-0003): USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Dar es Salaam, 2025, read 17 Oct 2026; independent source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Milling MEA: Tanzania to launch nationwide maize, rice stock assessment: Milling Middle East and Africa, 23 Apr 2025; independent trade press. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- The Cooperator: Ugandan traders petition govt as Tanzania bans rice and maize exports: The Cooperator News, Issa Ssenyonga, 21 Jun 2023; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- The Africa Report: Kenya border trade halts as Tanzania guidelines cause ripples: The Africa Report, Victor Abuso, 13 Jun 2023; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- The Citizen: NFRA unveils 1.2m-tonne cereals purchase plan: The Citizen, Louis Kolumbia, 25 Jun 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- The Citizen: NFRA to begin maize procurement in Njombe at Sh450 per kilo: The Citizen, Seif Jumanne, 10 Sep 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- The Guardian: NFRA unveils achievements, plans to improve food exports: The Guardian (IPP Media), 18 Feb 2025; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Mwananchi: COPRA yaandaa viwango vipya kilimo endelevu: Mwananchi, Juma Mtanda, 12 Oct 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Daily News: COPRA system drives transparency, compliance: Daily News, Dativa Minja, 31 Jul 2025; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- allAfrica (Daily News): Zanzibar plant health project: Daily News via allAfrica, Esther Kasanga, 29 Jun 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- SUA and ANAPRI: Unlocking Tanzania's Agricultural Trade Potential: Sokoine University of Agriculture and ANAPRI trade brief, May 2026; independent research. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- TanzaniaInvest: BoT Monthly Economic Review June 2025: TanzaniaInvest, 22 Aug 2025, citing the Bank of Tanzania; independent source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- CTI: Export of cloves (Zanzibar procedure): Confederation of Tanzania Industries, updated 6 Jul 2023; independent source. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Kilimo Kwanza: ATMIS: Kilimo Kwanza, 31 Jul 2024; independent source on the ATMIS launch. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- Tripartite NTM register: TZS 438:2014 EAS 2:2013 Maize grains: COMESA-EAC-SADC tradebarriers.org record, implemented 18 Dec 2014; independent register. Accessed 2026-10-17.
- EAS 2:2011 Maize grains specification: Public.Resource.Org copy of the 2011 East African Standard; independent host. Accessed 2026-10-17.
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