The volume of Copper exported in September 2018 decreased by five point one percent from about ninety three thousand four hundred metric tonnes in August 2018 to about eighty eight thousand six hundred metric tonnes in September 2018.
The Copper prices on London Metal Exchange market for the corresponding months decreased by zero point three percent, from six thousand and thirty nine point eight US dollars per metric tonne in August 2018 to six thousand and twenty US dollars per metric tonne in September 2018.
And Central Statistical Office Acting Director Goodson Sinyenga says since Copper accounts for the largest proportion of Traditional Exports, any change in the volume and price has a direct bearing on the performance of Traditional Exports.
And highlighting the performance of non-traditional exports, Mr. Sinyenga says agricultural products accounted for a share of twenty nine point five percent of Zambia’s Non-Traditional Exports in September 2018 compared to thirty three point three percent recorded in August 2018.
He says the export earnings from Agricultural products recorded a thirty two point two percent decline from eight hundred and twelve point two million kwacha in August 2018 to five hundred and fifty point five million kwacha in September 2018.
“The major export commodities were ‘Tobacco partly or wholly stemmed/stripped’ (17.7 percent), ‘Cotton, not carded or combed’ (14.1 percent), and ‘Oil-cake and other solid residues of soya bean’ (11.2 percent),” he said.
Mr. Sinyenga says non-Agricultural products accounted for a share of 70.5 percent of Zambia’s Non-Traditional Exports in September 2018 compared to 66.7 percent recorded in August 2018.
“The export earnings from Non-Agricultural products recorded an decline of 18.9 percent from K1, 625.3 Million in August 2018 to K1,317.5 Million in September 2018. The major export commodities were ‘Sulphuric acid; oleum in bulk’ (12.8 percent)’ Electrical energy’ (8.5 percent), and ‘Wire of refined copper, maximum cross-sectional dimension >6mm’ (6.6 percent),” he said.