adminNgoni Dapira
ZIMTRADE has called on businesses to export value added goods to create downstream employment in the country. This was said by ZimTrade chief executive officer Ms Sithembile Pilime recently during a three-day marketing and branding for international competitiveness training workshop at a local hotel in Mutare.
Speaking on the sidelines of the workshop, Ms Pilime said by exporting raw materials, the country was exporting jobs.
“Our vision is to foster growth in prosperity and employment generation in Zimbabwe through increased trade.
“If we export goods in their raw form it will be the same as exporting jobs. Value added exports are key for GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth and downstream employment creation. Value added production especially in the horticulture sector has employment creation potential and we will be pushing for this as ZimTrade,” she said.
Ms Pilime said there was need for local companies to be innovative to come out of the economic doldrums and enhance global competitiveness.
She, however, urged Government to invest towards enablers for economic production.
Enablers, especially in the energy and transport sector, she added, were critical for local industry to reduce costs of doing business and remain globally competitive.
The ZimTrade chief said Zimbabwe had the potential of being an economic giant given that it had abundant natural resources. The country should therefore take a leaf from China on value addition to create local employment.
China is the world’s second largest economy by nominal GDP and the world’s largest economy by purchasing power parity.
Ms Pilime said China had export restraints on a number of its raw materials like bauxite, coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon carbide, silicon metal, yellow phosphorus and zinc to boost it local industry.
China is a leading producer of each of the raw materials which are used to drive its domestic industry as well as technology products.
The ZimTrade workshop was meant to launch its reviewed and rebranded export capacity building programme to local export companies.
The MBIC programme was reviewed in line with international best practice with the assistance of the International Trade Centre.
The programme was aimed at developing and enhancing export skills of Small to Medium Enterprises and established companies.
ZimTrade, which was established in 1991, is the national trade development and promotion organisation. It is a partnership between Government and the private sector.
Online Reporter