The Malawi Investment and Trade Centre says it has managed to identify export markets for Malawian products worth about $540 million in 2018 alone.

Public Relations Manager for the Centre, Deliby Chimbalu disclosed that the markets were identified during their export promotion campaigns which the institution carried out in 2018.

‘Last year, we rolled out an export promotion campaign where we organized several trade missions to different countries with an aim of identifying markets for our products. Some of the countries we visited include: Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Egypt and China. We are happy that these missions have exposed our Malawian producers and manufacturers to market opportunities beyond the borders of Malawi.’ Explained Chimbalu.

Chimbalu further said most of the export leads are for agricultural products like Soya Beans, groundnuts, rice, beans, sunflower and poultry products. She also highlighted there is also demand for some manufactured products like soya pieces, sunflower cake, plastic products, peanut butter, tea, coffee, cotton cake and beverages.
Currently, MITC is calling upon all export ready companies to take advantage of these market opportunities.

‘As MITC we are encouraging those that have the capacity to export these products to get in touch with us, and we will provide the necessary trade facilitation services between them and the potential buyers. For those that have the potential to export and are not ready to export, MITC undertakes capacity building initiatives aimed and building export readiness. ’ Said Chimbalu.

MITC has been conducting various export promotion and development initiatives under the Enhanced Integrated Framework project. The project aims to promote sales of value-added products by Malawian non-traditional exporters and their respective production networks of rural producers to the Nacala corridor and also regional and international markets.