By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
THE bilateral trade in agricultural products between Zambia and the United States of America in 2014 significantly dropped to US$504,000 from $732,000 in 2013 representing a 35 per cent reduction.
The US Department of Commence said the two countries had failed to utilise the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) which was the platform to encourage trade between Africa and the US.
A statement issued by the department said Zambia imported agriculture products worth $260,000 in 2014 compared to $343,000 in 2013 while exports dropped to $244,000 from $389,000.
In terms of forest products imports and exports remained unchanged at $140,000 and a meager US$9,000.
It said the country’s chemical imports also significantly dropped from $15,343,000 to $7,008.
The country did not export any energy related products in 2014 and 2013 while imports also dropped from $27,000 to $23,000 in the first half of 2014.
For textiles and apparel which had been the main emphasis in the AGOA trade framework, the imports increased from $447,000 to $822,000 while exports increased from $4,000 to $5,000 in the same period.
Zambia’s mineral and metal exports to the US almost doubled recording $30,721,000 from $17,393,000 and imports reduced from $3,125,000 to $1,229,000 respectively.
Imports of machinery from that country increased to $21,396,000 from $14, 206,000 with exports worth $3,000 in 2013 and $11,000 in 2014 respectively.
Further imports of electronic materials increased from $3,358,000 to $5,697 while exports moved from $58,000 down to $42,000 respectively.
“There was need to increase bilateral trade between the two countries looking at the long standing bilateral relationship in the last 50 years,” the statement said.