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Leonard Ncube and Rosalla Mzacana, Business Reporters
THE national export promotion agency, ZimTrade, has engaged a German expert in arts and craft to help capacitate locals in the crafts sector so they can export to the European Union (EU).

Mrs Ruth Pester-Hettche, a senior expert in arts and craft marketing in Germany is in the country on a 20-day visit to train the local crafts sector players.

On Monday she and Zimtrade officials were in Victoria Falls where they toured the Zambezi Women and Arts and Craft Centre.

Zimtrade regional client manager, Mrs Jacqueline Nyathi, urged local players to take advantage of the opportunity and produce high quality goods as well as exhibit at international fairs.

“She is on a 20 day mission to interact with you and assess quality and determine key areas for improvement on the road for exporting Zimbabwe creative products to the EU.

“We are here to give you an opportunity to tap into her knowledge and expertise so that you can improve in terms of exportation,” said Mrs Nyathi.

She said Zimtrade had previously trained crafts sector players on online techniques but bemoaned ignorance by some members who do not attach importance to digitisation.

Mrs Pester-Hettche challenged craft industry players to be dynamic and move with world trends for them to break into the EU.

She said chief among the keys to better fortune was undertaking market research for them to diversify produce in line with what tourists want.

Tourists are the major customers for the arts and craft sector.

“You have to invest in small things and not in big curios because tourists prefer small artifacts. Do market research to know what tourists want and also diversify your designs, ideas and products, with more investments in clothing and jewellery because this is what tourists love most,” said Mrs Pester-Hettche. — @ncubeleon