* Looking at the packaging, grading, and overall organisation, and the standard, is outstanding
* Malawi is now well-positioned to engage in cross-border trade with diverse products—Ministry of Trade
By Tarcizio Mondwe, Malawi News Agency (MANA)
The Ministry of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism has commended small & medium enterprises (SMEs) and agricultural cooperatives participating in the 22nd National Agriculture Fair, for producing quality value-added products with potential for regional and international markets.
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Through Component 3 of the Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project (SATCP), the Ministry facilitated participation of 22 selected producer groups across 15 districts for exhibition at the Chichiri Trade Fair Grounds in Blantyre.
And in an interview, chief value addition officer for Ministry of Trade, Master Mzuzi, commended the high quality of products on display, saying local producers are increasingly equipped to overcome past export challenges.
“Looking at the packaging, grading, and overall organization, and the standard, is outstanding,” he said.
“Malawi is now well-positioned to engage in cross-border trade with diverse products.”
Mzuzi also commended improvements in hygiene and processing standards, saying these were contributing to increased consumer confidence and promoting commercial growth.
He assured exhibitors that the Ministry will continue expanding value-chain initiatives to help cooperatives pool resources and solve raw-material shortages that previously hindered secondary processing.
Secretary for Zakudimba Producers and Marketing Cooperative from Thyolo, Clement Banda, said their 191-member group are utilising the fair to demonstrate how value addition boosts farmer earnings.
“Our cooperative produces crops such as bananas, beetroot, lemongrass, and hibiscus,” he said. “We process surplus produce into juices, wines, and dried vegetables.”
Banda stated that participation in the fair has also enabled cooperatives to establish links with potential buyers and that Zakudimba Producers and Marketing Cooperative is currently awaiting certification from the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) to place its products in retail stores nationwide.
Mercy Gunde — sales representative for MACODA based at Bangwe in Blantyre, noted that the fair has offered an important marketing platform for their handmade products, including woven table mats, screen and block prints, tailored wear, and tie-and-dye fabrics.
“Exhibiting here allows us to secure custom orders from individuals, private institutions, and government agencies,” Gunde said.
She encouraged the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) to continue offering free gate entry at future events to boost visitor turnout.
The 22nd National Agriculture Fair — under the theme; ‘Transforming Agriculture through Innovation, Value Addition and Market Linkages’ — brings together farmers, cooperatives, agro-processors, and technology providers to showcase agricultural innovations and build sustainable supply-chain connections.
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