ZimTrade, EU joint venture to boost communal farming
Business Reporters
THE country’s trade promotion body, Zimtrade has embarked on an Agricultural Trade and Marketing Project in conjunction with the European Union that is aimed at benefiting not less than
1 200 communal farmers.
The project, which is being implemented as a measure to alleviate poverty, will run for two years and is set to boost Zimbabwe’s macro-economy.
The programme was meant to conscientise farmers on marketing of their produce, in terms of market access and production of high quality crops, among other aspects critical for successful export.
Speaking at a workshop held in Harare last week, ZimTrade chief executive Mr Herbert Chakanyuka said the project would benefit many communal farmers in different areas in as far as producing, harvesting and marketing of the produce is concerned.
"We are looking at working with rural farmers as we want to help them with knowledge on how to create a market base locally, regionally and internationally," said Mr Chakanyuka.
He also pointed out that one of the ways to regain macro-economic stability in the country was through the increase of export receipts.
"We have enough raw materials in the country that we can easily exploit to the benefit of our economy," he said.
Mr Chakanyuka also encouraged exporters to use trade maps that would assist them to search for new markets, suppliers and assess competition.
The trade maps would also enable the exporter to know his competitors and to evaluate tariffs and trade barriers that are detrimental to the export business.
Exporters were also urged to attain vast knowledge of regional markets such as Mozambique where the nation has a zero percent tariff, as the two countries are both Sadc affiliates.
"Exporting our products in the Sadc region is cheaper as we will not incur unnecessary costs because of the Free Trade Area launched by Sadc last year which allows the free movement of goods through elimination of tariff barriers except for sensitive goods," said Mr Chakanyuka.
Labels: EU, FARMERS, ZIMTRADE
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Re-open international credit lines: Zimtrade
Business Reporter
THERE is an urgent need to re-open international credit lines to revive Zimbabwe’s industry which has been operating at an average 10 percent capacity, Zimtrade chief executive Mr Herbert Chakanyuka has said.
In an interview with the Herald Business this week, Mr Chakanyuka said: "Operational costs are the major drawback that affecting our industry hence
there is need to quickly re-open credit lines to capacitate the sector that has been reeling from under funding ".
He said the availability of credit lines and offshore loans, through financial institutions such as the PTA Bank, World Bank and International Monetary Fund would go a long way in boosting production.
"Local manufacturing has been seriously compromised by lack of inputs while skills flight continues unabated. Zimbabwean producers should re-strategise if the country is to regain its regional competitive edge."
He, however, said Zimbabwe was currently facing challenges of loss of industrial capacity while more finished products were being imported. Zimtrade had already started preparing for regional and international trade fairs for this year.
He urged companies to strive to export finished goods, which he said was the only way to earn the much-needed foreign currency.Currently firms are exporting semi-finished goods, which earn less on the international market.
"We need to produce finished goods, which are competitive in the market, thereby reviving the industry."
Zimtrade will soon conduct an export marketing training programme as part of preparations for this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
This is meant to equip marketing executives with knowledge to increase companies’ competitiveness on the export markets.
Labels: HERBERT CHAKANYUKA, ZIMTRADE
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Zimtrade targets regional markets
Business Reporter
ZIMTRADE says it will facilitate participation of local companies in trade promotional missions due to be held in the Sadc region as it seeks to capitalise on these markets ahead of the Fifa 2010 World Cup to be hosted by South Africa. The trade body said local companies were being invited for the Windhoek Agricultural and Industrial Show to be held in Namibia later this month.
Zimtrade said it would also facilitate the participation of local companies inthe Tanzania Solo Exhibition to be held in Dar es Salaam early next month and the Global Expo Botswana scheduled for Gaborone between October 17 and 20.
Other events include the Afribuild to slated for Johannesburg between October 23 and 25 and Malawi Solo Exhibition later next month.
Zimtrade chief executive Mr Herbert Chakanyuka said companies willing to participate in these events should start making their submissions.
He stressed the importance of maintaining the presence of Zimbabwean companies and products within the Sadc and Comesa regions and urged local companies to take advantage of preferential access.
"The Sadc and Comesa market is a major market for Zimbabwean goods and presents the most potential for earning foreign currency through exports," he said.
"The export promotional events outlined reflect the need to develop these markets.
"In view of the 2010 World Cup, South Africa will be inundated and fully occupied with satisfying demand on the local market.
"This presents an opportunity for Zimbabwean companies to fill the gaps in the South African market itself and in the larger regional market.
"Zimbabwean companies are, therefore, urged to gear themselves up to take advantage of this opportunity," said Mr Chakanyuka.
Back home Zimtrade was also organising an Export Marketing Training Programme targeting individual small to medium enterprises and large companies that will run from September 17 to September 21.
"With the necessary support SMEs have proved as effective as large companies in their ability to enter and operate in export markets.
"With this in mind Zimtrade carries out a training programme, "Export Market Training Programme", for SMEs" that are interested in penetrating export markets in a sustainable way. "The programme is meant to develop an export culture among small to medium enterprises," he said.
Labels: SMEs, ZIMTRADE
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ZIMTRADE to set up shop in Zambia
By Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Thursday August 30, 2007 [04:00]
ZIMTRADE, the export promotion wing of the government of Zimbabwe, is working out logistics to set up a retail shop of exclusively Zimbabwean products in Zambia. ZIMTRADE chief executive officer Hebert Chakanyuka said the move was part of the government’s larger national export strategy and that his department was taking advantage of the popularity of Zimbabwean products on the Zambian market, especially processed foods.
“We want to ensure that we enhance the effectiveness of our presence in the market to set up a shop which will have Zimbabwean products in order to assist some of the companies that don’t have the capacity to export, as well as existing players,” he said.
“We are looking at stocking up processed foods. We have an edge in the Zambian market. Traditionally, most of our products have been consumed in Zambia and we believe because of that knowledge which is there in the Zambian market we will get easy acceptability of our products.”
Chakanyuka said the development would also be a huge boost for Zimbabwean small and medium sized enterprises that have had no knowledge and capacity to export their quality products.
However, the retail shop is likely to be compromised by the shortage of commodities in the country but Chakanyuka said part of the solution to the current problems the country was facing was to strengthen the export sector.
Zimbabwe has experienced a dwindling export sector over the years and the local market has had shrinking disposable incomes.
“The shortage of products in the country will not compromise the campaign because this is a temporary situation where all key stakeholders are engaging each other to ensure that they resolve the current challenges.
We believe that because of the hyper-inflation in this country every company needs to export to ensure that the capacity is restored,” he said.
Chakanyuka said Zimbabwean products would have no problem competing with South African ones on the Zambian market because “they have stood on their own.”
He said Zimbabwean products had competed well in South Africa and there was no reason they could not in their traditional market.
“We have had our processed foods going to South Africa.
There are some Zimbabwean companies in South Africa and nothing can stop Zimbabwe competing in other markets like Zambia where we have enjoyed a fair share of the market,” he said.
Chakanyuka also disclosed that Zimbabwean companies that participated at the recent Lusaka Agricultural and Commercial Show managed to generate on-spot business worth US$300,000 while orders under negotiation were around US$2 million.
“That on its own is an indication that Zimbabwean products have a share on the Zambian market,” said Chakanyuka.
Labels: EXPORTS, ZIMBABWE, ZIMTRADE
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ZimTrade eyes Zambian market
By Perry Kaande
ZIMTRADE plans to set up a mega retail shop in Zambia that will market Zimbabwean products, as the trade promotion body intensifies its efforts to increase exports into the region. ZimTrade chief executive Mr Herbert Chakanyuka said this move was in line with the National Export Strategy and should be in place by early 2008.
"To increase exports into Zambia and in line with the National Export Strategy, ZimTrade will be carrying out a feasibility study of setting up a retail mega shop to market and sell Zimbabwean products by early 2008," he said.
Mr Chakanyuka noted that Zambia was one of the key markets for Zimbabwean products, hence the need to consolidate Zimbabwe’s position in the market.
He also highlighted that by virtue of being Comesa members both countries stood a chance to gain favourable trade concessions from such a move.
"Zambia and Zimbabwe are Comesa members giving Zimbabwean exporters a competitive advantage over non-Comesa member states, because products which qualify to meet certificate of origin criteria, will enter the market duty free," he added.
Most of the products that found their way into the Zambian market were value added products.
A delegation led by ZimTrade is currently in Zambia with a contingent of Zimbabwean companies taking part in the Agricultural and Commercial Show in Lusaka.
Twelve companies, among them PG Industries, printing concern Kalamazoo and electronic component manufacturer Mukonotronics are participating in the showcase which runs from August 2-6.
Apart from facilitating and sponsoring companies in export initiatives, ZimTrade is involved in various activities and services in strategic areas. These include market and product research, trade fairs and exhibitions, assistance in trade policy formulation and developing sustainable international trade.
ZimTrade was also at the head of a recent excursion by Zimbabwean food processing companies to an exhibition in South Africa.
Labels: THE HERALD, ZIMBABWE, ZIMTRADE
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