This research investigated the role of corruption as a barrier to trade with the SADC region and across three staple agrifood products namely maize, rice and wheat. The paper employed panel data econometrics and found that found that corruption impedes intra-SADC trade across the three crops. In terms of policy suggestions, the study’s results provide some support to policies which reduces corruption on the basis that reducing the scope for corruption does, in the majority of cases, and especially if starting from very high levels, reduce the impediments to trade. To this end, SADC countries are encouraged, as they continue negotiating and improving on the trade facilitation, to promote transparency, reduce red-tape and diminish the scope for arbitrary decision making and cheating.