adminMidlands Correspondent
SMALL to medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and some established companies have been urged to make use of ZimTrade information portals to tap into export markets.
Speaking during a Marketing and Branding for International Competitiveness training programme for SMEs and other traders in Gweru on Tuesday, ZimTrade Southern Region manager Mr Similo Nkala said they came up with the online portal so that producers of Zimbabwean products have easier access to foreign markets while at the same time affording foreign consumers a platform to have a look at local products.
Mr Nkala said the capacity building programme is aimed at energising Zimbabwe’s export growth as they have trade attachés at the country’s embassies which producers can make use of in making enquiries about markets.
“The portal is an on-line platform that provides a comprehensive, single source of up-to-date trade, investment and economic-related information that is useful to both exporters and buyers of Zimbabwean products and services. This is another milestone from the EU-funded Trade and Private Sector Development Programme we have,” said Mr Nkala
“The training covers areas which include assessing a company’s export readiness, research and market identification techniques as well as export documentation and procedures among others. The training programme, which is part of ZimTrade’s export development, is aimed at developing and enhancing the export skills of both SMEs and established companies in Zimbabwe.”
ZimTrade associate trainer Mr Dennis Choguya urged locals not to look at the size of their companies to venture into exports but should make use of the initiatives being provided by statutory bodies like ZimTrade and other government departments.
He said traders should take advantage of capacity building initiatives and acquire more information on exporting.
“We encourage companies to venture into export markets regardless of their size but they have to make sure they’re ready for the export markets. We advise them to complete an export readiness checker that is in the recently launched Trade Information Portal and thereafter, ZimTrade will give them feedback on their readiness and advise where they’ve to improve. They should seek requisite information and advice from reputable organisations on doing business rather than being misled by some pessimistic media report,” said Mr Choguya.
ZimTrade has introduced a number of initiatives to capacitate SMEs and established companies in their competitiveness on the international market. The country’s trade promotional body has also established partnerships with international bodies like the European Union.
Online Reporter