NTEs rise to K3.9 bn in September

BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes@SunZambianZAMBIA’S Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) earnings has increased by 14.1 percent to K3.917 billion in September this year.NTE earnings rose from K3. 43 billion in August 2020 to K3. 91 billion in September 2020, Zambia Statistics Agency interim statistician general Mulenga Musepa at the monthly bulleting briefing in Ndola.Mr Musepa said in terms of share in total exports, NTES posted a 23.5 per cent in September 2020.He said agricultural products accounted for a share of 27.9 per cent of Zambia’s NTEs in September compared to 38.5 per cent recorded in August, 2020“The export earnings from Agricultural products decreased by 17.5 percent from K1. 32 billion in August 2020 to K1.09 billion in September 2020.“The major export commodities raw cane sugar, tobacco, not stemmed/stripped accounting for 13.3 per cent and oil-cake and other solid residues, of soya-bean,” Mr Musepa said.He said non-agricultural products accounted for a share of 72.1 percent of Zambia’s NTEs in September 2020 compared to 61.5 per cent recorded in August 2020.Mr Musepa said export earnings from non-agricultural products recorded an increase of 33.8 per cent from K2.11 billion in August 2020 to K2.82 billion in September 2020.The major export commodities were Portland cement (excl. white) accounting for 8.9 per cent, electrical energy and other non-alcoholic beverages.On traditional exports, he explained that traditional exports earnings increased by 20.9 per cent from K10, 535.2 million in August 2020 to K12.73 billion in September 2020.In terms of share in total exports, traditional exports accounted for 76.5 per cent revenue earnings in September 2020.The volume of refined Copper exported in September 2020 increased by 10.4 per cent to 98,428 tonnes from 89,195 tonnes in August 2020.The Copper prices on LME market for the corresponding months increased by 3.3 per cent from US$6,497 per tonne in August 2020 to US$6,712 per tonne in September 2020.Mr Musepa said the major export destination in September 2020 was Switzerland, which accounted for 45.2 per cent of the total export earnings.“The main export product to Switzerland was copper anodes for electrolytic refining, accounting for 61.3 per cent of total export earnings from that country,” he said.Mr Musepa said China was the second main export destination accounting for 20.3 per cent of the total export earnings.He said the major export product was copper anodes for electrolytic refining, accounting for 52.3 per cent of total export earnings from that country.Mr Musepa said Singapore was the third main destination of Zambia’s exports accounting for 11.4 per cent of the total export earnings.The major export product to Singapore was copper anodes for electrolytic refining, accounting for 79.3 per cent. The Sun