Zimbabwe on the way to recovery

Opportunities and challenges are part and parcel of dealing with Africa, and while caution is advised, HB Services has the experience and the know-how to offer advice to exporters investigating new markets, says HB Services’ Hazel Briggs. “It’s important to research all new prospects carefully and confirm the integrity of new contacts. “On the positive side Zimbabwe is emerging stronger and stronger and is certainly on the way to recovery. The challenge for SA suppliers in the agricultural sector is the fact that China can supply the same products at a greatly reduced landed price – a real issue for South African manufacturers and exporters.” Also of concern are the numerous fees imposed by government agencies in that country which impact on cost to supplier in the long run, says Briggs. Another good news story is the mining sector in Zambia which has made a good recovery while other sectors that were less impacted during the economic downturn are starting to see sales slowly edging back to pre-2009 targets, she said. But border clearing times are still a major issue for transporters, negatively impacting lead times. “If this issue could be resolved hauliers would be able to achieve quicker turnaround times which would in turn result in more loads per month being transported – ultimately benefiting the economies of all regions.” As specialists in the movement of dangerous goods, it’s an issue close to Briggs’ heart. “The transporting of chemicals classified as ‘hazardous’ and the legislation involved in cross-border countries needs to be monitored very carefully to ensure that all requirements are fully understood prior to loading the truck.”