Maravi

Cross-border traders applaud consignment threshold adjustment

Cross-border traders applaud consignment threshold adjustment
By Sandra Lombe in Livingstone
Sat 13 Nov. 2010, 03:59 CAT

CROSS Border Traders Association (CBTA) says small-scale businesses will quickly graduate into large-scale enterprises following an adjustment in the consignment threshold from US$500 to US$2,000 in next year’s budget.

CBTA chairman general Elliot Kabinda welcomed government’s decision to increase the consignment threshold and projected a further increase in cross-border trade.

“There have been tremendous trade volumes of late, and they keep increasing. We were lobbying for the goods threshold to be increased from US $500 to US $1000 but during the 2011 budget presentation, it was increased to US $2000. Just this makes us smile,” said Kabinda in an interview.

“Our small-scale traders will graduate quickly from small to medium and to large-scale businesspersons. This will also uplift their lives.”

Kabinda said following the launch of the Simplified Trade Regime (STR), there was now an increase in cross-border trade.

“We are doing extremely well even those who were scared of passing through designated places now pass through the immigration. Smuggling has also reduced as before people were scared of the little to pay. Smuggling will be a thing of the past soon,” he said.

And Kabinda said bilateral talks with Zimbabwe on the possible inclusion of other goods on the common list had been scheduled for February next year.

“We will in February next year have bilateral agreements with Zimbabwe to look at the possible inclusion of other goods on the common list which can be traded between Zimbabwe and Zambia,” he said.

Kabinda recently during the Zambia-Zimbabwe STR launch noted that the major concern for traders was the limited number of goods on the common list and appealed to the authorities to review the list to include more goods.

However, Kabinda said there was need for continued sensitisation on the STR so that people did not use ‘shortcuts’ in doing business.

And Kabinda said the completion of works on the Zimba-Livingstone road would enhance business for cross-border traders.

Labels: BORDER POSTS, CBTA, ELLIOT KABINDA

posted by MrK @ 7:20 PM