adminThe exhibition also saw some participants scooping prizes for mounting the best displays.
SeedCo won the first prize, followed by the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board (NIEEB). Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority won the third prize.
Zanu-PF Politburo secretary for business development, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni, who is also the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, toured the stands on Saturday on behalf of Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
She applauded the displays and urged business operators to continue working together to improve their operations.
“On behalf of VP Mujuru I commend you for the good displays that I saw here. The best way to market your goods is through exhibitions like this one. Exhibitions provide a platform to know and promote each other.
“I hope after this conference your businesses will not be the same. As Zanu-PF we are geared to have a business face and assist all Zimbabweans in accordance with our theme of defending national sovereignty and consolidating indigenisation and economic empowerment,” said Cde Nyoni.
In separate interviews exhibitors said the conference gave them the opportunity to network with other businesses.
“This exhibition has enhanced our business operations and we are happy with that. Three quarters of the delegates including senior officials passed through our stand and saw what we have on offer,” said Mr Ivan Craig, the SeedCo extension manager.
“We also learnt a lot from this expo especially the fact that most people do not know how to choose seed varieties in relation to their rainfall patterns. We had to teach and explain to them that each region has
special seed suitable for it to produce high yields.
“We will use the knowledge we got here to improve our services and outreach so that communities can improve food production.”
Mrs Sanele Moyo, a flea market operator, said the exhibition allowed her to interact with Government and party officials and share her experiences with them.
“We were able to meet Government officials and tell them the challenges we are facing. As small business operators we want to be upgraded to big businesses.
“We expressed this to our leaders and we hope they will assist us. Some of us need money and proper places to operate from,” she said.
Pottery and artwork traders were also represented. Many of them said they have a huge local market but appealed to the Government to assist them in getting external markets.
A representative of the Lupane Women’s Centre, which also exhibited its art and craft products, said they have a huge market locally and abroad.
Co-ordinator of the exposition, Cde Noah Mangondo, expressed satisfaction with the exhibition and said participants benefited.
“This has been a very successful event. The expo is growing in strides and we are happy that businesses benefited from it. Big and small businesses alike participated and a lot of business linkages were made,” said Cde Mangondo.
Cde Nyoni was accompanied during the tour by Zanu-PF national deputy secretary for finance, Cde Charles Tawengwa, Bulawayo provincial treasurer and secretary for indigenisation Cde Charles Chiponda and other senior party officials.
Online Reporter