Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) has advised SMEs in the country to produce products according to market demands. This was said during a one day workshop on access to markets for SMEs, the Centre organized in Lilongwe under the Malawi Nacala Value Addition Project.

Chief Executive Officer for MITC, Clement Kumbemba, said it is high time producers in the country shifted from being production-oriented to market-oriented if the country is to compete well on the international market.

‘As MITC it is our duty to provide market intelligence information to these producers for them to produce products that are needed on the market. This workshop aims to address that, to equip these SMEs on best practices for export business.’ Explained Kumbemba.

One of the participants to the workshop, Hendrina Makunganya Maxwell hailed MITC for organizing such workshops which she said are critical in equipping SMEs with knowledge and expertise in export marketing.

‘I personally have benefitted from these workshops. I have gained skills which I lacked in the past like contract negotiation, pitching my business to potential buyers, packaging requirements and risk management.’ Explained Maxwell.

The workshop attracted participation of 10 SMEs. It focused much on export marketing skills including the process of exporting, market research, export documentation, packaging and payment terms in export business.

MITC is implementing the Malawi Nacala Value Addition project which aims at equipping SMEs with the necessary information and skills to improve their export business and also assist them to identify and supply the export markets. This is part of export development efforts that MITC is implementing at the moment.