Who buys sulphur in Tanzania?

Mostly the cashew sector. Sulphur dust is the standard treatment against powdery mildew on cashew, and the government issues it free of charge to registered farmers through the Cashewnut Board of Tanzania: the 2026/27 package lists 51,000 t of sulphur powder for 549,936 farmers in five regions. Smaller industrial lots of granular sulphur come from the Republic of Korea, Oman, China and Saudi Arabia. CBIL works for private importers of record and does not bid in government tenders.

Why is Turkish sulphur priced so far above granular?

Because it is a different product. Tanzania declared Turkish sulphur at USD 695/t CIF in 2025 against USD 172-306/t for the bulk origins; dusting sulphur is milled to a fine mesh and packed in bags, while granular sulphur is formed for melting. Ask for the mesh your application needs, not for sulphur in general.

Is the Copperbelt sulphur at Dar es Salaam part of these figures?

No. Cargoes discharged at Dar es Salaam for the DR Congo and Zambia move in transit and are not Tanzanian imports, which is why Tanzania's own figure was only 21,735 t in 2025. That trade is covered on CBIL's page for sulphur to the DR Congo Copperbelt via Dar es Salaam and Durban.

What duty and permits apply?

Sulphur under 2503.00.00 pays 0% under the EAC Common External Tariff, and sublimed or precipitated sulphur under 2802.00.00 is also 0%. Sulphur sold as a crop fungicide falls under Tanzania's plant health and pesticide rules, so the importer should confirm the product registration and import permit with the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority before a contract is signed.

When must cashew sulphur arrive?

Before the spraying season. Inputs for the 2026/27 season were issued from 27 April 2026, and by late June farmers in Tunduru, Ruangwa, Masasi, Newala and Tandahimba reported shortages and private prices of about TZS 45,000 a bag. A delivery window that misses the spraying months is the main risk on this lane.

East Africa · Tanzania

Sulphur CFR Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Sulphur Dust for Cashew and Granular Sulphur

Tanzania's own sulphur imports rose from 2,660 t in 2024 to 21,735 t in 2025, most of it Turkish sulphur for the cashew crop

Tanzania's own sulphur market is small, seasonal and separate from the bulk sulphur that crosses Dar es Salaam in transit to the DR Congo Copperbelt, which is not counted in Tanzania's imports and has its own page. Under HS 2503 Tanzania declared 960 t in 2023, 2,660 t in 2024 and 21,735 t in 2025, worth USD 13.34 million, an average of USD 614 per tonne CIF. The 2025 jump came from one origin: Türkiye shipped 18,093 t (83.2%) at USD 695/t, and Türkiye's own statistics record 26,094 t of 2503 exports to Tanzania in 2025 at USD 357/t FOB. The Republic of Korea supplied 1,877 t (8.6%) at USD 201/t, Oman 619 t (2.8%) at USD 172/t, China 455 t (2.1%) and Saudi Arabia 430 t (2.0%), with other origins making up 261 t (1.2%). The price gap between Türkiye and the bulk origins reflects the product: the cashew trade buys milled sulphur for dusting, not formed granules for a melter. Researchers at TARI Naliendele advise farmers to apply sulphur to cashew trees against powdery mildew, and the government issues sulphur free of charge to registered farmers through the Cashewnut Board of Tanzania; the 2026/27 package announced on 27 April 2026 lists 51,000 t of sulphur powder for 549,936 farmers in Mtwara, Lindi, Ruvuma, Coast and Tanga. Supply ran short in June 2026: the board rationed stocks, Tunduru received 64,188 bags, and sulphur from private suppliers there rose from TZS 15,000-20,000 to about TZS 45,000 a bag.

Sulphur enters Tanzania at 0% under the EAC Common External Tariff (2503.00.00), as does sublimed and precipitated sulphur (2802.00.00). CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers milled sulphur powder for agricultural dusting in lined bags in containers, and granular sulphur (99.8% min, 2-6 mm) in jumbo bags or bulk for industrial users, CFR Dar es Salaam, with SGS or Intertek certification of purity, fineness, moisture and ash at load and the producer named on the certificate of origin. A buyer of dusting sulphur should confirm with the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority, before the contract, which registration and import permit the product needs. Buyers in the DR Congo and Zambia are served on the Copperbelt page. Send the product and mesh or granule size, the quantity, the packing and bag size, the importer of record, the delivery window against the spraying season and the payment terms, and the enquiry is screened and worked against them.

Also on this lane: Granular sulphur

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices sulphur freight to Dar es Salaam on LaycanDesk.

The market in figures

Tanzania sulphur imports (HS 2503): 2025: 21,735 t · USD 13.34 m · USD 614/t CIF · 2024: 2,660 t · 2023: 960 t
Origins, 2025: Türkiye 18,093 t (83.2%) at USD 695/t · Korea 1,877 t (8.6%) · Oman 619 t (2.8%) · China 455 t · Saudi Arabia 430 t · other origins 261 t
Exporter's figure: Türkiye declared 26,094 t of 2503 exports to Tanzania in 2025 at USD 357/t FOB
Main use: Sulphur dust on cashew against powdery mildew · 2026/27 free-input package: 51,000 t of sulphur powder, 549,936 farmers
2026 season: Shortage in June 2026 · private price about TZS 45,000 a bag in Tunduru, from TZS 15,000-20,000
Duty: EAC CET 0% on 2503.00.00 and on 2802.00.00

Landed values are the importing country's declared CIF, not CBIL prices.

Questions buyers ask

Who buys sulphur in Tanzania?: Mostly the cashew sector. Sulphur dust is the standard treatment against powdery mildew on cashew, and the government issues it free of charge to registered farmers through the Cashewnut Board of Tanzania: the 2026/27 package lists 51,000 t of sulphur powder for 549,936 farmers in five regions. Smaller industrial lots of granular sulphur come from the Republic of Korea, Oman, China and Saudi Arabia. CBIL works for private importers of record and does not bid in government tenders.
Why is Turkish sulphur priced so far above granular?: Because it is a different product. Tanzania declared Turkish sulphur at USD 695/t CIF in 2025 against USD 172-306/t for the bulk origins; dusting sulphur is milled to a fine mesh and packed in bags, while granular sulphur is formed for melting. Ask for the mesh your application needs, not for sulphur in general.
Is the Copperbelt sulphur at Dar es Salaam part of these figures?: No. Cargoes discharged at Dar es Salaam for the DR Congo and Zambia move in transit and are not Tanzanian imports, which is why Tanzania's own figure was only 21,735 t in 2025. That trade is covered on CBIL's page for sulphur to the DR Congo Copperbelt via Dar es Salaam and Durban.
What duty and permits apply?: Sulphur under 2503.00.00 pays 0% under the EAC Common External Tariff, and sublimed or precipitated sulphur under 2802.00.00 is also 0%. Sulphur sold as a crop fungicide falls under Tanzania's plant health and pesticide rules, so the importer should confirm the product registration and import permit with the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority before a contract is signed.
When must cashew sulphur arrive?: Before the spraying season. Inputs for the 2026/27 season were issued from 27 April 2026, and by late June farmers in Tunduru, Ruangwa, Masasi, Newala and Tandahimba reported shortages and private prices of about TZS 45,000 a bag. A delivery window that misses the spraying months is the main risk on this lane.