Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL buyers have expressed admiration for the quality of Zimbabwean products and are convinced that local businesses have the potential to compete at a global level.
The buyers attended the recent Buyers Forum conference held in Bulawayo where they engaged with over a dozen different producers across various sectors.
The event, organised by ZimTrade in collaboration with Afreximbank and Stanbic, was held under the theme “Qala/ Tanga/ Start” and saw the attendance of buyers from Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, United Kingdom and Zambia.
During the event, buyers from different sectors, including leather, clothing, horticulture and mining, expressed their admiration for the quality of Zimbabwean products.
One of the buyers, Mr Jack Chadukwa, from Zambia, stressed the need for aggressive marketing to increase the visibility of local businesses, stating that many people outside Zimbabwe are unaware of the excellent quality of products available from Zimbabwean companies.
“I wouldn’t be here if Zimbabwean products were not good enough, but the products are very good and the quality is good. I visited some companies in Harare and Bulawayo and what I can say is we need to instil confidence,” said Mr Chadukwa.
“The picture out there is that Zimbabwe’s industry collapsed. So, before talking about the products, we need perception management. ZimTrade and other Government agencies in charge of exports should be able to market the Zimbabwe manufacturing sector, especially regionally.
“In most countries like Zambia, the products we use in the mining sector come from South Africa because it has positioned itself as the manufacturing country, but Zimbabwe is very strong as has everything, including expertise and quality goods.”
Mr Chadukwa said after visiting different companies in Zimbabwe, he found a new source market for the products he wanted in his mining, engineering, and electronics business, adding that he has been sourcing out of Africa before.
“Let it be something like profiling Zimbabwe manufacturing companies so that countries like Zambia can know that good steel, food, and engineering services come out of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“Yesterday when I visited one of the engineering companies, I was surprised that some of the services that we source from Italy are being done here in Bulawayo.
“I was surprised to see Bulawayo has a heavy engineering company yet we were sourcing out of Africa.”
He, however, said there is a need to reduce the cost of doing business so that the products are priced competitively.
Another buyer, Ms Daniela Ivanova, from the UK said her company, Vita Fresh Produce, imports fresh horticultural produce from Zimbabwe.
She said for the past 15 years, she has been importing from Zimbabwe, which has seen her develop a strong relationship with local producers.
“Our main products from Zimbabwe are sugar snappy pears, chilli, passion fruit, blueberries, and the next big item now will be the citrus and I have made contacts with a few growers here,” said Ms Ivanova.
The market in Zimbabwe is improving, especially in quality, year-on-year the products are getting better and better, and farmers are leaning more towards exports and have more certification to enter more markets.
“The consistency, efficiency, and the quality are very good,” she said.
Mrs Mwanaka, also from the UK, said Zimbabwean products give Zimbabwean people who are in the diaspora a feel of their home food. She said the food is tasty and has no genetically modified genetic organisms (GMOs), which makes them a preference in the international market.
She, however, said there is a need to improve packaging, and labelling and ensure compliance with international regulations.
Mrs Mwanaka also called on the Zimbabwe Government to consider having a direct flight to the UK, saying this will enhance efficiency.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) Matabeleland Chapter president, Mr Stephen Ncube, said the Export Week by ZimTrade is a good initiative, which has allowed companies to showcase their products to the world.
He said ZimTrade is doing a lot to support local companies and by improving exports, the country will get the much-needed foreign currency.
The Export Week, which is part of the trade development and promotion organisation’s efforts to source export markets for local companies, started on Monday and ends tomorrow.
This complements other initiatives by ZimTrade, which include outward seller missions, and attending different trade expos internationally and regionally.-@SikhulekelaniM1
Sidumisile Mabena