eBusiness Weekly
Michael Tome
Export promotion body, ZimTrade says it has facilitated for an international scrap metal arts buyer to visit Zimbabwe from today, to March 20, 2019 to meet with metal sculptors who have potential to supply these metal artefacts.
The buyer is expected to arrive in the country today and will meet artists on a visit that has been facilitated by the country’s national trade development and promotion organisation.
Arts and crafts sector present an untapped opportunity with potential to contribute to the growth of Zimbabwe’s exports.
The buyer has experience in importing scrap metal sculptures from counties like Kenya and United Kingdom and recently developed interest in the Zimbabwean market following aggressive marketing campaigns by ZimTrade.
Coordinated programmes like these are also expected to play a part in the formalization of small businesses.
Zimbabwe has abundance of talented sculptors dotted around the country particularly in the resort towns of Victoria Falls, Nyanga aided by Harare creating a huge supply base that requires strong markets in the region and beyond.
Trade Map indicates that the total global exports of arts and crafts has been on an upward trend to US$37 billion in 2018 from US$27 billion in 2017.
However, Zimbabwe’s contribution has been low, with only USD$2 million contribution to global total exports in 2018.
One of the reasons behind the low export figure being that most artists operate informally.
According to ZimTrade, “The buyer is scheduled to meet artists from Harare, and they are expected to structure supply contracts as well as agree on conditions necessary for local pieces to perform well in the European market.”
This German bargain hunter’s visit came after engagement meeting held in February between ZimTrade and sculpture artists is expected to culminate in long term supply contracts that will see an improvement in the export of arts and crafts from Zimbabwe.
This comes as the export promotion body is working on increasing local exporters’ participation in regional markets, especially Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in an effort to prop up trade with these Southern African countries.
The Zimbabwe and Rwanda initiated Trade and Investment Conference, which will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 24 to 26 March this year to facilitate trade and investment opportunities between the two, while learning best practices from each other.
Rwanda offers vast opportunities of trade to Zimbabwe, especially in the areas of horticulture, furniture, ICT, manufacturing, textiles, construction services, hospitality services and the agro-processing sector.
