Meat Export Import Requirements in Tanzania 2023

Tanzania has stringent measures for control and eradication of animal diseases. Such measures have enabled Tanzania to be an eligible trade partner in livestock and livestock products. The country was declared Rinderpest free by OIE in 2005. The minimum set of the requirements to export of import meat and meat products from/to Tanzania are detailed below. Some of the conditions are subject to amendment or cancellation by the Director of Veterinary Services or other competent authorities (Boards, TBS) at any time and without prior notice being given.

We suggest that you read our article on the Meat Export Business Opportunities in Tanzania in 2023

Export Procedures

Live Animals (Cattle, Sheep & Goats)

• The prospective exporter should have Company registered in Tanzania by BRELA, or need to enter into joint venture with Tanzanian registered Company (Need to submit Company Registration Certificate)
• The exporter should be registered by the Tanzania Revenue Authority and hold Tax Identification Number (TIN) ,
• The prospective exporter should hold valid export license from Ministry of Industry and Trade charges TZS. 300,000/=
• The prospective exporters should register with Tanzania Meat Board as meat industry stakeholder. They should pay a fee of TZS. 150,000/= initially and retention fee of TZS. 102,000/= every year.
• The exporter should apply for export clearance certificate from Tanzania Meat Board. Fees payable are Tshs. 10,000/= and 3,000/= per head for cattle and goat/sheep respectively.
• The prospective exporter should apply to the Director of Veterinary Services for export permit attaching import requirements from importing Country
• Animal should be held in a quarantine facility or on a farm under close supervision of a veterinarian for a specified period of time of not less than 21 days
• Animal should be certified to be physically health (at a time of export) by competent authority (Reg. Vet from a Registered facility)-Veterinary Council of Tanzania(VCT)
• Animals are shipped/ tracked subject to the conditions prescribed by the importing country

Meat and Meat products

• The prospective exporter should have Company registered in Tanzania by BRELA, or need to enter into joint venture with Tanzanian registered Company (Need to submit Company Registration Certificate)
• The exporter should be registered by the Tanzania Revenue Authority and hold Tax Identification Number (TIN) ,
• The prospective exporter should hold valid export license from Ministry of Industry and Trade charges TZS. 100,000/=
• The prospective exporters should register with Tanzania Meat Board as meat industry stakeholder. They should pay a fee of TZS. 150,000/= initially and retention fee of TZS. 102,000/= every year.
• The prospective exporter should obtain certificate of origin from Tanzania Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture at a fee ranging from TZS. 25,000 up to 55,000 depending of the volume of meat export.
• The exporter should obtain Certificate for safety and quality compliance for products from Tanzania Meat Board.
• The exporter required process export clearance Certificate from Tanzania Meat Board at 1% of F.O.B value of the exported meat
• The prospective exporter should apply to the Director of Veterinary Services for export permit attaching the following documents:-
  • Veterinary health certificate from exporting country
  • An Invoice
  • Certificate for safety and quality compliance for products from Tanzania Meat Board
  • Certificate of origin from the exporting country (TCCIA)
  • A clearance certificate from Tanzania Meat Board
• The Director of Veterinary Services shall in turn issue a Veterinary Export Permit.
• NB: Different countries have different import requirements (e.g. Muslim countries will require certified Halal certificates). Slaughtering and processing should be undertaken in a registered and approved abattoirs only

Import Procedures

Meat and Meat Products

• The prospective importer should have Company registered in Tanzania by BRELA, or need to enter into joint venture with Tanzanian registered Company (Need to submit Company Registration Certificate)
• The importer should be registered by the Tanzania Revenue Authority and hold Tax Identification Number (TIN)
• The prospective importer should register with Tanzania Meat Board as meat industry stakeholder. They should pay a fee of TZS. 150,000/= initially and retention fee of TZS. 102,000/= every year.
• The importer required process export clearance Certificate from Tanzania Meat Board at 2% of F.O.B value of the imported meat
• The prospective importer should register with Tanzania Meat Board as meat industry stakeholder,
• The prospective importer should hold valid import license from Ministry of Industry and Trade,
• The importer should be registered by the Tanzania Revenue Authority and hold Tax Identification Number (TIN) ,
• The importer should apply for import clearance certificate from Tanzania Meat Board. The prospective importer should pay 2% of F.O.B value for every consignment imported to TMB.
• The prospective importer should apply to the Director of Veterinary Services for import permit attaching the following documents:-
  • Veterinary health certificate from exporting country
  • An Invoice from exporting company
  • Certificate for safety and quality compliance for products from TMB
  • Premise and product registration certificate from TBS,
  • Atomic Energy Authority inspection certificate,
  • Certificate of origin from the exporting country
  • Import Clearance Certificate from Tanzania Meat Board.
  • Premise registration certificate from competent authority (TBS).
• Then Veterinary Import Pemit issued.

Important Points (NB)

• Importer required to have a warehouse technically equipped for a healthy storage/dispatch of products and therefore necessary to have a cold facilities. All equipment and sites must be approved by local authorities responsible for food i.e Tanzanian Foods and Drugs Authority (TBS-Ministry of Health): Animal health i.e Director for Veterinary Service -Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. First inspection will be between 3 and 6 months (once premises are ready), there will be one or more inspection(s) for fine tuning, then approval (Need to have Registration certificate from TBS and Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries
• Once premise is ready importer should send samples of all food products in this case meat and meat products to TBS for analysis and registration prior commercial import. This can take up to three months or more (fast track is 700 USD/sample)
• Once sample is approved and registered by TBS he/she can start operations. For each imported consignment you will be required to process Tanzania Meat Board Clearance Certificate at 2% FOB value of imported meat and Veterinary licenses at TZs 10,000 per head of imported live cattle and TZs 50/- per kg meat prior each shipment
• Importer will be required to organize a physical survey and sampling in the country of origin, (through an international survey company based abroad) prior shipment, to test leads and salmonella in ISO 17025 approved laboratories and submit the results to Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS). These tests and surveys are necessary for the issuance of a COC (certificate of conformity), endorsed by TBS, without which import of meat in the country will not be allowed
• Once the product has reached DSM, at port of entry, the Tanzanian Revenue Authority will charge import duties of up to 25% (+ VAT 18% for further processed products only), if TRA suspects under invoicing, they have the mandate to decide for higher taxes based on their researched market price
• After the product arrival, importer need to contact with the Atomic Energy Authority in DSM, who will pick a random sample of each product, and send to Arusha laboratory to determine any possible radiation. Importer will not be allowed to use the goods before Arusha’s green light.

Live animal exports and imports from/to Tanzania statistics and analysis

The table below shows the Live animals exports and imports statistics for the period starting 2007 to 2018.

YEAR	EXPORTS VALUE (MILLION US$)	IMPORTS VALUE (MILLION US$)
2007	1.26	1.28
2008	1.49	2.48
2009	1.49	1.11
2010	0.65	2.63
2011	0.57	1.48
2012	0.34	1.57
2013	1.13	2.04
2014	1.60	4.67
2015	8.42	4.31
2016	1.00	3.42
2017	54.27	2.24
2018	19.16	3.70

Tanzania’s top export partners of live animals are:

PARTNER STATE	PERCENTAGE SHARE	VALUE (USD $ MILLION)
Kenya	48.00	9.36
South Africa	13.90	2.67
Japan	5.95	1.14
North Macedonia	5.64	1.08
USA	5.64	1.08
UK	5.47	1.04
Canada	5.31	1.01
Denmark	4.49	0.86
Comoros	1.66	0.32
Rwanda	1.41	0.27

Meat products exports and imports statistics and analysis

YEAR	EXPORTS (Mil US$)	IMPORTS (Mil US $)
2007	1.83	0.42
2008	0.55	2.91
2009	0.24	3.53
2010	0.03	2.75
2011	0.03	7.74
2012	0.54	6.48
2013	0.28	6.94
2014	1.95	13.47
2015	4.77	6.74
2016	9.02	6.62
2017	13.31	6.99
2018	5.01	3.33

Tanzania’s top export partners (aggregated 2007-2018) of meat products are:

PARTNER STATE	PERCENTAGE SHARE	VALUE (Mil US $)
United Arab Emirates	73%	2.9
Oman	16.5%	0.65
Vietnam	3.13%	0.12
Hong Kong	2.88%	0.11
Kuwait	1.23%	0.05
Pakistan		0.04
Argentina		0.02
USA		0.02
South Africa		0.01

Published by Kessy Juma

Kessy Juma is the founder of Miamia Trading Company (miamiatz). He is a Techpreneur with roots in accountancy. He believes that any business is good as long it caters the right market using the right strategy.

Published by Kessy Juma

Kessy Juma is the founder of Miamia Trading Company (miamiatz). He is a Techpreneur with roots in accountancy. He believes that any business is good as long it caters the right market using the right strategy.