By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
ZAMBIA’s Non-Traditional Export (NTEs) has increased to K4.2 billion in March this year from K3.8 billion the previous month.
This represents a growth of 9.1 per cent, Zambia Statistics Agency interim statistician general Mulenga Musepa said at a media briefing in Lusaka recently.
Mr Musepa said in terms of shares in total exports, NTEs accounted for 22.7 per cent of the total export earnings in March 2021.
He also pointed out that traditional exports’ earnings increased by 11.2 per cent to K14.2 billion in March 2021 from K12.8 billion the previous month.
In terms of share in total exports, traditional exports accounted for 77.3 per cent of export earnings in March 2021.
“Export earnings from refined copper in March 2021 increased by 9.9 per cent to K14.1 billion from K12.8 billion in February 2021,” Mr Musepa said.
He said the volume of refined copper exported for the period January to March this year was 228.0 thousand tonnes while that of 2020 for the same period was 206.7 thousand tonnes representing a 10.3 per cent increase.
Mr Musepa explained that agricultural products accounted for a share of 31.7 per cent of Zambia’s NTEs in March 2021 compared to 23.6 per cent in February 2021.
He said export earnings from agricultural products increased by 46.5 per cent to K1.3 billion in March 2021 from K0.9 billion in February 2021.
The major export commodities were oil-cake, tobacco, not stemmed/stripped and tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed/stripped.
On non-agricultural products, Mr Musepa said these accounted for a share of 68.3 per cent of Zambia’s NTEs in March 2021 compared to 76.4 per cent in February 2021.
“Export earnings from non-agricultural products recorded a decrease of 2.5 per cent to K2.85 billion in March 2021 from K2.93 billion in February 2021.
“The major export commodities were other non-alcoholic beverages accounting for 7.2 per cent, Portland cement and sulphur of all kinds,” he said.
He said Zambia’s major export products in March, 2021 were from the intermediate goods category mainly comprising copper anodes for electrolytic refining and Copper blister accounting for 83.3 per cent.
Mr Musepa said exports from the consumer goods, raw materials and capital goods categories, collectively accounted for 16.7 per cent of total exports in March, 2021.
Mr Musepa said China was the second main export destination accounting for 21.7 per cent of the total export earnings.
He said Singapore was the third main destination of Zambia’s exports accounting for 12.4 per cent of the total export earnings.
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