By Mabuchi Chunga

Malawi Investment and Trade Center (MITC), is preparing for this year’s annual exporters coaching sessions slated for 8 – 12 July.

The purpose of the exercise is to assist exporters to be compliant with international market requirements.

Public Relations Manager at MITC, Deliby Chimbalu, told YFM Online that this year’s sessions will be held online in contrast to what has been happening in the past due to the Covid – 19 pandemic.

One of the topics that will be discussed is production capacity something that exports trade partners are been struggling with.

Chimbalu said the international market looks for commodities in bulk and when such opportunities are brought to the country’s traders they fail to produce to the expected quantity.

“Most of the markets that we identify are looking for huge quantities of products but then we come back home and ask our exporters and companies most of them do not meet the required quantities that the buyers are looking for,” said Chimbalu.

Quality is another issue that is to be looked at since the country also has a shortfall of producing products that live up to international trade standards.

“Most of the international quality standards on the market most of our exporters fail to meet them,” said Chimbalu.

He added that it is due to such shortfalls that they work with stakeholders to iron out such issues and help to boost the export sector.

Malawi’s main export is tobacco which accounts for 55% of total exports. Others include: uranium, sugar, tea and coffee.

Malawi’s main export partner is the European Union (50 percent of exports). Others include: Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and United States.