Most of East Africa’s commodity volume sails east. India and Vietnam take almost all of Tanzania’s raw cashew, China is the largest sesame buyer, Pakistan and Egypt lead the tea trade, and the Gulf is both a consumer and a trading hub. This guide lists who buys what from us in Asia and the Middle East, and how those shipments work.
Regular buyers by product
| Destination | Main products | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| India | Raw cashew nuts, copper scrap, aluminium scrap, pulses | About 61% of Tanzania’s in-shell cashew exports in 2023 |
| Vietnam | Raw cashew nuts | About 37% of Tanzania’s in-shell cashew exports in 2023 |
| China | Sesame seeds, sisal fiber, copper cathode, copper scrap | Record sesame imports of 1.46 million tonnes in 2025; duty-free access for Tanzanian goods |
| Pakistan | Black CTC tea | About 36% of Kenya’s tea exports in 2025 |
| Egypt | Black CTC tea | About 13.9% of Kenya’s tea exports in 2025 |
| United Arab Emirates | Tea, coffee, cashew, pulses, metals, fresh produce | Trading hub; largest destination for Ugandan exports overall |
| Saudi Arabia and the Gulf | Sisal fiber, fresh vegetables, charcoal briquettes | Sisal for gypsum plaster work |
| Turkey | Copper scrap, copper cathode, sesame | Large copper-consuming industry |
Raw cashew nuts for India and Vietnam
Tanzanian raw cashew is sold through regulated auctions from October to January. Processors buy on three numbers: outturn in pounds of kernel per 80 kg bag, nut count per kilogram and moisture. Typical lots test at 46–52 lbs outturn and 180–210 nuts per kg.
Raw nuts ship in 80 kg jute bags, about 16–17 tonnes to a 20-foot container and 26–27 tonnes to a 40-foot container, to Tuticorin, Mangalore, Kochi, Ho Chi Minh City and other processing centres. The 2026/27 season update explains how the auctions work, and the cashew nut grades guide covers kernels.
Copper and aluminium
India, China, Turkey and the Gulf are the main homes for East African metal. We supply copper scrap as Millberry, wire scrap and mixed scrap, copper cathode at Grade A 99.99%, and aluminium scrap sorted by type.
Metals are priced against the London Metal Exchange and verified by independent weight and assay at loading. Several countries in the region require a pre-shipment inspection certificate from an approved agency for scrap imports; tell us your country’s requirement and we will arrange it. Read the copper scrap grades guide and the copper cathode specification guide before comparing offers.
Sesame seeds for China
China buys white sesame for hulling and food use and mixed sesame for oil. We supply machine-cleaned seed at 99% purity, 8% maximum moisture and about 48–52% oil content, in 50 kg bags, about 18–19 tonnes to a 20-foot container. Tanzania’s harvest runs from May to August. See the sesame seeds page.
Tea for Pakistan, Egypt and the Gulf
These markets drink strong black tea, and Kenyan CTC is the backbone of their blends. We supply BP1, PF1, PD and D1 in paper sacks on pallets, with pre-shipment samples of each grade. CTC tea grades explained describes the grades; our guide to Afghanistan and Central Asia covers the neighbouring landlocked markets.
Sisal fiber for the Gulf, North Africa and China
Countries with a strong gypsum plaster tradition buy UG and SSUG sisal for construction; China buys line fiber for cordage, carpets and buffing cloth. Sisal ships in bales of about 250 kg, 22–24 tonnes to a 40-foot high cube. See the sisal fiber grades guide.
Fresh vegetables for the Gulf
Gulf importers buy bell peppers, Irish potatoes, onions and tomatoes, especially in the hot months when local production falls. Peppers and tomatoes go by air or short-transit reefer; potatoes and onions go by reefer or ventilated container. Read the bell pepper and Irish potato export guides, and see our separate guide for Israel.
Import rules to plan for
- Plant health. Phytosanitary certificates for all plant products, and import permits where the destination requires them.
- Food standards. Gulf countries apply common standards on labelling, shelf life and residues. Halal certification applies to some processed foods; raw commodities do not normally need it.
- Scrap metal. Pre-shipment inspection, non-radioactive declarations and import licences vary by country.
- Preferences. China grants duty-free access to Tanzanian goods; other preferences depend on the product and origin.
Ports and terms
We ship FOB Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Tanga or Mombasa, or CIF to Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Tuticorin, Ho Chi Minh City, Qingdao, Karachi, Jebel Ali, Jeddah, Mersin and other main ports. See EXW, FOB or CIF explained. Fumigation, weight and quality certificates and the certificate of origin are issued with every lot.
How to order
Tell us the product, grade, tonnage and destination port. We reply with availability, the price basis and the earliest loading date. Message us from any product page or the contact page.