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Business Reporter

THE country’s trade development and export promotion agency, ZimTrade, will today conduct a training seminar in Bulawayo to equip local businesses with knowledge and skills on product branding and packaging for the export market.

ZimTrade said the one day business event also targets Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) so that they boost their competitiveness outside the country’s borders.

“The training seminar is scheduled for June 28 at Lalani Hotel and Conference Centre in Bulawayo. The purpose of the seminar is to equip local enterprises and SMEs with knowledge and skills on product branding and packaging concepts that are essential for export markets,” said the agency.

“Participation at the seminar is free to invited participants and the training will start at 0830hrs.”

ZimTrade said the training programme would cover a wide scope of packaging skills that local businesses can adopt for exports. 

Some of the areas that will be covered include adapting packaging for exports, international standards and regulations, packaging design options, the impact of branding and packaging on consumer perception, packaging types, benefits and models as well as packaging technologies and international packaging trends.

Meanwhile, the trade and export promotion agency has called on local companies to explore vast market opportunities in Zambia to boost their sales volumes.

It said the neighbouring country was fast becoming a viable export market whose proximity to another potentially viable market in the form of the Democratic Republic of Congo could spur growth of sales for local companies.

According to ZimTrade, Zambia has a population of 17 million with a Gross Domestic Product per capita of US$1 552,4 and trade between Zimbabwe and Zambia has decreased by 35 percent from 2014 to 2018.