Zimpapers Logo

Textiles

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
EXPORT earnings from Zimbabwe’s clothing and textile sector have grown by 164 percent to $8,2 million between 2012 and last year, the national export promotion agency, ZimTrade has said.

In its monthly newsletter for March, ZimTrade said Zimbabwe’s major export destination for clothing and textiles was South Africa with a share of 80 percent while the rest of Sadc contributed 16 percent.

“Zimbabwe’s clothing and textiles manufacturing sector has experienced a growth trajectory over the past five years, with exports growing from $3.1 million in 2012 to $8.2 million in 2016.

“According to the Trade Map, the global import bill for clothing and textiles was worth $428 billion in 2015, with the United States, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom being the largest importers,” said the export promotion agency.

ZimTrade has also conducted market surveys in Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo and identified opportunities for clothing and textiles.

It said the tourism hubs of Tanzania and Namibia were niche markets for safari wear.

ZimTrade said last month it successfully conducted the marketing and branding for international competitiveness training programme for 12 companies in the clothing and textile sector. “The training is part of ZimTrade’s export capacity building initiatives aimed at inculcating an export culture amongst local companies.

@okazunga