15 Zimbabwe companies showcase at biggest Mozambique trade fair

Business Reporter

A TOTAL of 15 Zimbabwean companies are taking part, for the fi­rst time, at this year’s edition of the annual trade fair of Mozambique currently underway in Maputo.

The Zimbabwean companies, who are participating for the fi­rst time under ZimTrade’s banner, are engaging with potential buyers from Mozambique, as well as potential business partners who are also taking part in the Maputo International Trade Fair also known as (FACIM).

Business to business meetings also underline the participation of the companies at the trade fair and Zimbabwean companies are confident of making a huge impression.

“For participating Zimbabwean companies, the objectives of attending the Fair are to diversify Zimbabwe’s exports, establish new leads in the Mozambican as well as the regional and international markets and to also increase exports of Zimbabwe’s products to Mozambique,” said ZimTrade in a latest update.

“Mozambique by virtue of its proximity to Zimbabwe creates good logistics options for Zimbabwean companies, as they can tap into the regional market with competitive costs of their goods and services.”

Participating companies are drawn from sectors such as agriculture, building and construction, manufacturing, processed foods, and leather and leather products.

FACIM is a multi-sector trade fair in Mozambique, which seeks to promote business opportunities with various brands, services and products.

It brings together major industry players, innovations and market trends and offers a unique business platform that allows participants to expand their network of business contacts and enter markets.

FACIM presents local companies with a platform to engage with potential buyers and expand their footprint in the regional market.

Several Zimbabwean companies through the ZimTrade export promotion activities have made inroads in Mozambican Provinces like Tete, Chimoi and Manica over the years, riding on the good relations between the two countries.

Zimbabwe and Mozambique have bilateral trade agreements and are both members of the SADC Trade Protocol. These trade agreements are meant to support and encourage trade between the SADC countries to reduce customs duties and other barriers to trade on products and services from both countries.

The focus of the trade agreement between Zimbabwe and Mozambique, which has been in place since coming into force in 2005, is to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers and to cooperate in customs and trade promotion.

The agreement provides for duty-free trade between the two members with the rules of origin specifying a 25 percent domestic value added. Excluded from the agreement are re­ned and unre­ned sugar, Coca-Cola/Schweppes soft drinks, ­rearms, ammunition and explosives, motor vehicles and cigarettes.