Chronicle Editor
Crispen Gumunyu, Business Reporter
THE country’s trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade, has called on local companies to explore vast market opportunities in Zambia so as to boost their sales volume.
ZimTrade said Zambia was fast becoming a viable export market whose proximity to another potentially viable market in the form of Democratic Republic of Congo could spur growth of sales for local companies.
“Zambia is increasingly becoming a business destination with the country strategically positioned as a gateway into the DRC market, one of the markets that ZimTrade is encouraging exporters to tap into. Zambia has a population of 17 million with a Gross Domestic Product per capita of US$1 552,4. Trade between Zambia and Zimbabwe has decreased by 35 percent from 2014 to 2018, with exports to Zambia recorded at US$66 million in 2018 from US$122 million in 2014 and efforts need to be made to improve export numbers,” it said in a statement.
ZimTrade recently carried out a market survey in Zambia’s Copperbelt region as part of its efforts to explore various export opportunities existing in that country. From the resultant market survey, the organisation participated at the just ended Copperbelt, Agricultural, Mining, Industrial, Networking and Enterprise Expo (CAMINEX).
CAMINEX is a premier exhibition held annually in Kitwe, the Copperbelt region and this year’s edition was held under the theme “Developing networks for Empowerment and Growth”.
“As the only trade expo in the Copperbelt, CAMINEX attracts businesses from all mining houses in the province and is a great platform to network and grow export opportunities. Nine local companies were facilitated to participate at CAMINEX 2019, and products showcased included electrical, chemicals, pumps and valves, protective clothing and conveyor belts, amongst others,” said ZimTrade.
Triple Tee Footware sales and marketing executive Mr Israel Mhonde said his company managed to clinch a number of business deals at CAMINEX.
“The CAMINEX show was indeed a great success to our organisation. We had an opportunity to meet buyers from different mining houses. We have been struggling to secure appointments over years and we also managed to get a lot of leads in the Copperbelt, which are very essential as part of our efforts to tap into the Copperbelt market,” he said.
At the CAMINEX awards ceremony ZimTrade scooped a third place award under the Advisory and Sector Representative category.
The award was is recognition of the role played by the organisation in supporting Zimbabwean companies to forge networks with regional markets in order to grow exports.
Other participating countries included South Africa, United States of America, China, Botswana, Spain and Germany.
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