BY MBONGENI NDLELA
ZULWINI – Far East Textiles, a Liswati owned Textile Company, has scooped the biggest award of Exporter of the Year and Leading Exporter to South Africa.
The good news was announced yesterday afternoon during the inauguration of the Exporters Awards.
The Exporters Awards are a result of collaboration between government and USAID. The biggest winner of the event was Far East Textiles, a liSwati-owned textile business that currently employes 650 emaSwati. This company is located in Matsapha and is part of the manufacturing sector Industry.
Speaking during the awards, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Mancoba Khumalo said Eswatini’s exports to SADC and the United States Market, through the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), have continued to thrive, despite COVID-19.
“This is an outstanding achievement by the exporters from the MSME sector despite global economic decline and stiff international competition,” he said.
The minister said government, through the Strategic Roadmap and the Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, has continued to make inroads in creating a conducive atmosphere for private sector led growth through promotion of exports and greater ease of doing business reforms.
“It has been well documented that COVID-19 has seen the economy suffer through tough times, but the companies that have entered this competition came up with innovative solutions to try and overcome some of those difficulties, particularly preventing job losses,” he said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Jeanne Maloney said it was a great pleasure to recognise the excellence and innovation of local companies in reaching export markets.
“The U.S. Government continues to support the Government’s export growth-led model, particularly in seeking to export to U.S. Markets,” she said.
Business Eswatini CEO E. Nathi Dlamini said, “Every time you export something, the hard currency comes here. The immediate multiplier effect of that is that the money gets to circulate in the country. Foreign currency allows us as a country to buy the country’s necessities.”
Other winners were Eswatini Kitchen (Exporter to the U.S. through AGOA), followed by Tintsaba Crafts under the same category as well as Sdemane Farming (runner-up under the Exporter to South Africa category). Also recognised were Tsandza Weaving and Smiling Through Investments.
