SD LOSING E100M EXPORT REVENUE FROM EU

MBABANE – Swaziland continues to lose out on over E100 million worth of exports that could easily be absorbed by the European Union (EU) due to non- adherence to international food safety standards.

On top of the food safety standards, the country loses out on improving exports by up to nearly 20 per cent that could foster economic development due to the lack of including sufficient regulatory, legislative and institutional capacity.

Yash Ramkolowan, who addressed the Economics Association of Swaziland (ECAS) on behalf of the Global Economic Governance (GEG) Africa, explained that non-tariff measures were the bigger barrier to accessing EU market.  
He mentioned that many of these measures could only be addressed by ensuring sufficient regulatory, legislative and institutional capacity in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) / Mozambique.

He said this included but not limited to, ensuring that standards / health and safety bodies were applying up to date regulations in terms of pest control (and that these were aligned with international standards).

“Utilising safeguard and infant industry measures for identified priority sectors would require that SACU / Mozambique have clearly defined industrial policy objectives and capacity to implement,” Ramkolowan advised.

For the region as a whole, Ramkolowan said cross-country sector opportunities included: fruit and vegetable products; food, beverages, tobacco; chemical products (such as ethanol), textiles and clothing;
“For Swaziland, product opportunities concentrated in chemicals, food and beverages and textiles and clothing sectors,” Ramkolowan clarified.

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