Some local businesses say economic recovery will depend on how quickly industries move from showcasing their products to striking deals that expand markets and generate foreign exchange.
The firms expressed the sentiments after the 36th Malawi International Trade Fair held between May 21 to 29, an event that attracted 240 exhibitors and provided opportunities, particularly for small-scale enterprises.
Green Farms pavilion. | Orama Chiphwanya
In an interview, Peculiar Green Farms director Noah Chadza said the trade fair gave his firm an opportunity to expose the business and build networks.
“Selling seedlings at this time of the year is tough, but I sold out and made numerous contacts. For me, this fair has been about exposure and building networks,” he said.
Bvumbwe-based Zakudimba Cooperative chairperson Veronica Jeremiah, whose firm produces banana wine and hibiscus juice, among others, said the fair was an opportunity to search for new markets.
She said: “Shops such as Ekhaya Farm Foods and Shopwise have already asked us to bring samples of what we make.
“Many people are interested in our wine and we hope to begin producing in larger quantities and bottling it in glass.”
Apart from the exhibition, much of the commercial success was achieved through the Business Forum, which ran as a side event alongside the exhibitions and provided a structured environment for companies to negotiate and sign deals.
Assemblies of God Press sales and marketing associate Moses Malindima said they sealed a long-term supply arrangement for printed materials.
He said: “The Business Forum gave us the space to engage directly with clients.
“We are confident this arrangement will strengthen our footprint in the market and provide sustainable value for both sides.”
Sky Energy Africa director of business development Hastings Golosi also confirmed a multimillion kwacha deal of supplying solar innovations, with contract signing expected within three months.
“We are excited to move forward with contracts that will not only deliver clean power, but also create jobs and opportunities in the sector,” he said.
On its part, Serendib Hotels and Resorts advanced a joint venture in hospitality while GM Plastics reached an agreement in principle to supply packaging materials for the Malawi Stock Exchange-listed Illovo Sugar (Malawi) plc and Salima Sugar Company, amounting to 30 000 units.
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority explored trade facilitation through Dar es Salaam Port in Tanzania, signalling new cross-border logistics opportunities while Salima Sugar Company entered into discussions on financing and distribution agreements with potential expansion into ethanol, bottled water and fertiliser production.
Speaking during the official opening of the fair on May 21, Minister of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism Simon Itaye said industrialisation is key to stabilising the country’s economy.
He said government will continue to support initiatives that strengthen production and competitiveness, observing that the fair has become a barometer of Malawi’s industrial progress.
Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Ronald Ngwira stressed that the nine-day fair was not only about exhibitions, but about turning conversations into business.
