Poor patronage dampens Nasme’s exhibition

National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (Nasme) has decried poor patronage to the just ended 10-day international exhibition in Lilongwe.

Entrepreneur Mariarosa Chilemba, who is also managing director of Joe’s Motel, described the situation as a lost opportunity.

“We needed to have had good publicity with a lot of energy; otherwise the country has so much to show in exhibitions like these,” she said.

Chilemba, who is also an executive member of Nasme, cited the current financial hiccups Malawians are sailing through as another probable reason most people shunned the trade fair.

“The current financial status has drastically reduced people’s buying power and this is greatly affecting the business environment here and across the country,” she explained.

Chilemba then called for regular exhibitions that will expose businesspersons to market potentials.

“Much as it is expensive to organise international trade fairs, regular exhibitions will significantly change people’s mindset as regards fashion and eventually improve our business atmosphere,” she said.

Jacquelyn Blycarp, a Tanzanian handmade boutique seller and fashion designer, said poor patronage to the trade fair was due to Malawians’ low appreciation of fashion.

Said Blycarp: “As a first time exhibitor to Malawi, I have observed that Malawians are a bit backward in embracing trendy fashions and this is also making it hard for us to sell clothing fashions that are trendy in Tanzania.

Another exhibitor, Virginia Ndongo, from Kenya concurred with Blycarp that it is hard to sell fashionable clothes to Malawians, arguing that the only thing that sells fast is chitenje.

She, however, expressed optimism that with frequent exhibitions, Malawians will embrace fashion shortly.

Nasme executive director William Mwale tipped local small-scale entrepreneurs to embrace regional integration as a platform for penetrating the international market.

He said through international partnerships, local traders can have a viable platform for learning international business and reaching international market.

“Normally, these trade fairs will open up international markets where local traders can have a viable platform for learning international business,” he said.