Zimbabwe’s appetite for imports is growing and currently leads as Malawi’s product inquirer, according to a third quarter export report the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (Mitc) has released.
Maldive and India are the other two countries that have appetite for made in Malawi products.
According to the report, Zimbabwe placed orders for blankets, plastic bottles and legumes valued at $40.2 millon while Maldive inquired for kidney beans and chickpeas worth $31.2 million and India has so far inquired for a variety of legumes at $21.7 million.
“Orders of Zimbabwe include: 270 metric tonnes (MT) of blankets at $440 000, 50 MT of plastic bottles at $ 40 000, 3 090 MT of sunflower at $4.9 million, 20 MT baobab oil at $30 000 and 24 882 MT of legumes at indicative price of $33.3 million,” the report reads in part.
On the other hand, Maldive placed orders of 12 000 MT of kidney beans and 12 000 MT of chick peas worth $31.2 million.
From July to September this year, India has placed orders of 174 MT of legumes at $21.7 million.
Neighbouring Zambia has ordered 90 MT blankets valued at $150 000.
In an interview on Monday, Mitc public relations manager Deliby Chimbalu said Malawi is failing to satisfy the export market due to low production capacities.
Chimbalu said Mitc sourced the Zimbabwe market during a trade fair that was organised in Zimbabwe in April this year where Malawian companies participated.“Most markets are in Zimbabwe because of the interests that the Zimbabwe buyers had in Malawian products that were showcased during the trade fair and the trade agreement that exists between us,” she said.
Chimbalu said a Blantyre company, Nu Line Textiles, will supply the blankets to Zimbabwe.
She said it has also teamed up with AHL Commodity Exchange (AHCX) to inform growers on potential markets for exports.
