Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Business Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN companies should ride on the country’s proximity to South Africa to increase their exports to Limpopo province, which presents huge business opportunity for local products, ZimTrade has said.
The country’s trade development and promotion agency recently concluded a market survey in Limpopo province to identify opportunities for Zimbabwe’s products and services.
Although South Africa is Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner recording US$1,7 billion worth of exports in 2020, ZimTrade said supplies to Limpopo province have remained minimal.
It observed that several Zimbabwean enterprises were supplying other South African provinces such as Gauteng, Western Cape and Eastern Cape with little presence in the Limpopo province.
“Given its proximity to the country, ZimTrade’s market survey identified huge opportunities for Zimbabwean products, which can ride on their high quality to penetrate the Limpopo market,” said ZimTrade.
“The Limpopo market survey, conducted recently, focused on sectors such as processed foods, building and construction as well as services industry.”
Zimbabwe and South Africa enjoy cordial bilateral ties and both economies are members of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and have ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA) Agreement, which came into force in January this year.
“These trade agreements are key in lowering the duties payable thereby assisting in achieving a competitive pricing,” said ZimTrade.
In 2020 Zimbabwe’s exports to the neighbouring country were largely composed of primary products such as tobacco US$652 million, nickel ores and concentrates US$568 million, platinum US$134 million and gold US$83 million.
Others include cotton US$26 million, tea US$9,6 million and citrus US$7,3 million.
The trade agency also advised women entrepreneurs to grab the opportunity to make business by expanding their market to Limpopo province. — @SikhulekelaniM1
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