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Business Reporter
The arts and crafts sector represent an untapped opportunity with potential to contribute to the growth of Zimbabwe’s exports, ZimTrade has said.
As such, the country’s trade development and promotion agency has facilitated for an international scrap metal arts buyer to visit Zimbabwe from 13-20 March to meet with metal sculptors who have potential to supply pieces made with recycled metal.
The buyer is scheduled to meet artists in the country during which supply contracts and conditions necessary for local pieces to perform well in the European market, would be structured. According to ZimTrade, the buyer has experience in importing scrap metal sculptures from counties such as Kenya and UK and has found interest in the Zimbabwean market following aggressive marketing campaigns.
“As the buyer is looking for pieces made from recycled metal, this promises to bring solutions regarding environmentally friendly business solutions,” said ZimTrade.
“The visit, which is the first of its kind, is expected to culminate long term supply contracts that will see an improvement in the exports of arts and crafts in Zimbabwe.”
According to Trade Map, total global exports of arts and crafts have been on an upward trend from US$27 billion in 2017 to USD$37 billion in 2018. However, Zimbabwe’s contribution has been low, with only USD$2 million contribution to global total exports in 2018. Given the rising demand for metal sculptures and Zimbabwe’s potential, there is room to increase exports in this sector. “One of the reasons behind the low export figure is that most artists operate informally,” said ZimTrade.
These insights came out of an engagement meeting held in February between ZimTrade and sculpture artists to identify solutions that will help in increasing exports within that sector. The meeting brought a lot of insight to the solutions that should be implemented to improve exports in the arts and crafts sector, and this included trainings to assist artists to formalise and register under trade agreements and exposing Zimbabwean artists to viable buyers. Thus, the visit by the buyer is part of the agreed activities under phase one of the engagement. Following the successful completion of the first phase ZimTrade aims to nationalise the process by exposing buyers to artists across Zimbabwe. ZimTrade has also said it plans future trainings that will be able to educate artists on how to formalize their business and prepare themselves for the export markets.
“These training will focus on pricing, export marketing, trade negotiations, branding and financial management. Furthermore, artists will also have a chance to interact with experts from SES Germany who will help them in improving their product and educate them on various procedures that need to be followed to ensure they are able to export,” it said.
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