The Malawi Government has signed a 5 years Nandolo (Pigeon Pea) export deal with the Government of India, at a brief ceremony that took place at the ministry’s headquarters in Lilongwe.

According to Indian High Commissioner to Malawi, Mr. S. Gopalakrishnan, and Malawi’s Minister of Trade, Sosten Gwengwe, 50,000 metric tonnes will be exported to India annually for the next five years. Gopalakrishnan hinted that the agreement might be extended beyond five years, while Gwengwe outlined that the objectives of the MoU is to promote trade through active cooperation between the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Malawi and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution of the Republic of India.

Commenting on the development, President of the Nandolo Farmers Association of Malawi Susan Chimbayo, said the MoU provides a market for members of the association, therefore  improving their social and economic livelihoods.

The development follows after the country’s capital city will be exporting maize, maize flour, sugar, rice, groundnuts and beans to Juba, South Sudan, courtesy of a trade deal signed between the two countries, aimed at easing the deficit of cereals in South Sudan.