By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
ZAMBIA’s total value of metal exports has decreased by 15.4 per cent, from K5, 629.3 million recorded in December, 2015 to K4, 765.0 million in January 2016.
Central Statistical Office (CSO) director of census and statistics John Kalumbi said the overall contribution of metals and their products to the total export earnings in January this year and December last year averaged 78.0 per cent.
Mr Kalumbi said this during a CSO media briefing in Lusaka.
He however, said Zambia’s Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) had increased by 2.2 per cent, from K1, 441.9 million in December 2015 to K1, 473.2 million in January this year.
Mr Kalumbi said the share of NTEs recorded an average of 22.0 per cent in revenue earnings between January this year and December 2015.
He said Zambia’s major NTEs in January 2016 were tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed/stripped, which accounted for 15.6 per cent and maize which accounted for 12.5 per cent.
Other notable NTEs were mineral substances, Bullion semi-manufactured forms and new stamps; stamped –impressed paper; cheque forms; bank notes, postage revenue stamp collectively accounting for 17.0 per cent.
He said the major export destination in January 2016 was Switzerland, which accounted for 49.0 per cent of the total export earnings with the major export products to Switzerland being cathodes and sections of cathodes of refined copper accounting for 58.4 per cent.
“China was the second main destination of Zambia’s exports accounting for 17.6 per cent of the total export earnings.
The major export products to China were copper blisters accounting for 77.0 per cent,” Mr Kalumbi said.
He said the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was the third main export destination accounting for 5.4 per cent of the total export earnings with the major export products being sulphuric acid, oleum in
bulk accounting for 10.2 per cent.
Mr Kalumbi said South Africa was the fourth main export destination accounting for 5.4 per cent of the total export earnings with the major export product being bullion semi-manufactured forms accounting for 25.7 per cent.
He said Singapore, the fifth main export destination which accounted for 4.2 per cent of the total export earnings with the major export earnings being cathodes and the sections of the cathodes of refined copper accounting for 98.7 per cent.
“These five countries collectively accounted for 81.6 per cent of Zambia’s total export earnings in January 2016,” Mr Kalumbi said.