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Natasha Adam, Business Reporter

THE National export development and promotion agency, ZimTrade, has urged local exporters to take advantage of opportunities in Angola, Malawi and Namibia, which have a combined market of 50,8 million people and gross domestic product (GDP) of US$126,6 billion. 

ZimTrade carried out market surveys in Southern Angola, Malawi and Northern Namibia in October and November last year to generate information on business opportunities and potential market allies between the three countries. The exercise was also meant to assist in identifying opportunities for local exporters and would-be exporters in order to increase the country’s level of trade in the regional market. At the moment Zimbabwe’s trade volumes to the three countries remain lower. 

Speaking to Bulawayo business leaders on Friday ahead of presentation of market survey findings, ZimTrade chief executive officer, Mr Allan Majuru, said industrial players should make good use of the immense export opportunities in the three countries.

“The economy of Malawi, which is a US$7,1 billion economy of 17,6 million people, has an US$2,7 billion import bill, which presents a good opportunity for increase in trade between our two countries. 

“The market offers local exporters, registered under trade agreements either Comesa or Sadc, duty-free and quota-free access,” he said.

“Namibia has an import bill of US$8,2 billion (2018 and a GDP of US$14,5 billion with a population of 2,4 million people, making it an upper-middle-income country with vast opportunities for our exporters to do business in that country.”

The survey also sought to gather market intelligence after Zimbabwe’s exports underperformed over the last two decades, exporting only US$35,3 million to the three countries in 2018. The country has been experiencing a serious trade deficit over the years due to weak or low outbound trade activities. 

Trade is one of the key drivers of sustainable economic growth and development of a nation. The market surveys conducted by ZimTrade specifically covered Lilongwe and Blantyre in Malawi, and Ongwediva, Ondangwa, Rundu, and Oshakatin in Northern Namibia and Onjiva and Lubango in Southern Angola.

The surveys focused on horticulture, fast moving consumer goods, furniture, building and construction and service sectors.

Mr Majuru said they were working on a Memorandum of Understanding with Agro-Marketing Trade Authority (AMTA) of Namibia. 

“We are in the process of finalising an MoU with AMTA whose managing director is present today. We have an understanding that we need to operationalise the horticulture agreements between our two principals by coming up with a proactive approach to ensure the agreements come to reality. 

“AMTA has already shared with us the windows and offtakes of selected products which we have already begun sharing with players in the horticulture sector,”  said Mr Majuru.

Angola on the other hand is a vast country bordering Namibia, Zambia, Botswana and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Its GDP in 2018 was reported at US$105 billion with a population of 30,8 million people. Angola’s imports bill stood at US$42 billion, making it a net importer. We are only exporting US$0,8 million and we need to grow this,” said Mr Majuru. 

“These three countries present to exporters a market of 50,8 million people and a gross domestic product (GDP) of $126,6 billion. Their combined total import value in 2018 stood at US$27,4 billion.” — @natashaadam1