By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –

ZAMBIA’S non-traditional exports (NTEs) have made a remarkable increase in the past month rising to more than K400 million from less than K3,5 million recorded the previous month.
Meanwhile, the annual inflation rate for the month of August, has remained the same at eight per cent as recorded in July.
According to the Central Statistics Office(CSO), the total value of exports increased from K3.562.1 million recorded in June, to K4,185.5 million in July 2014.
CSO director John Kalumbi said the overall contribution of metals and their products to the total export earnings in July and June 2014, averaged 76.8 per cent.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Kalumbi said the share of  NTEs recorded an average of 23.2 per cent in revenue earnings between July and June 2014.
Mr Kalumbi said Zambia’s major export destination in July 2014 was Switzerland which accounted for 54.4 per cent.
China was the second major destination of Zambia’s exports accounting for 13.0 per cent, with the major export product to this destination being copper blisters representing 67.2 per cent.
The third major export destination was the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accounting for 6.7 per cent where the main export products were sulphuric acid and  oleum in bulk.
South Africa was the fourth major export destination accounting for 5.0 per cent, while the major export products to that destination were semi-manufactured gold (incl. gold plated with platinum), non-monetary (25.0 per cent).
Australia was the fifth major export destination accounting 4.3 per cent, with the major export product to that country being copper blisters which accounted for 100.0 per cent.
“These five countries collectively accounted for 83.4 per cent of Zambia’s total export earnings in July 2014,” Mr Kalumbi said.
The Asian regional grouping was the largest market for Zambia’s total exports, accounting for 18.6 per cent in July 2014.
Within Asia, China dorminated the export market, accounting for 70 per cent, with other notable markets in Asia being Sigapore, United Arab Emirates, Japan and India.
Mr Kalumbi said that Southern African Development Community was the second largest market for Zambia’s total exports accounting for 17.7 per cent.
Mr Kalumbi also said the annual rate of inflation as measured by by all items Consumer Pricve Index (CPI) for August was recorded at eight per cent.
This means that on average, prices increased by eight per cent between August 2013 and August 2014.
Mr Kalumbi said of the eight per cent annual inflation rate in August 2014, food and non –alcoholic beverage products accounted for 3.6 percentage points while non-food products accounted for a total of 4.4 percentage points.
He said the annual food inflation rate for August 2014 was recorded at 7 per cent and this indicates an increase of 0.1 per cent compared to 6.9 per cent recorded in July 2014.
Mr Kalumbi said that the annual non-food inflation rate decreased by 0.1 per centage points from 9.2 per cent recorded in July 2014 to 9.1 per cnet recorded in August 2014.