Opinion: IT is interesting to note that there are abundant export opportunities in the international market.

While it is not uncommon to have business houses lament over a lack of, or limited access to, markets for their products, the issue at hand is not necessarily whether opportunities exist, but rather their identification and conversion into actual business. It is more an issue of addressing supply-side constraints than demand for those products.

There is a vast outlay of markets in the region and beyond waiting to be exploited by far-sighted and astute individuals, business houses, and indeed whole countries. These are what make that rare breed of entrepreneurs that may describe as "business achievers in adversity".

We at Export Board of Zambia (EBZ) have been committed over the years to disseminate information on markets the potential for Zambian products in the regional and overseas markets.

We have undertaken trade promotional activities such as trade fairs, missions, buyers/sellers meetings and market researches in the target markets just to expose these gaping export opportunities to Zambian exporters, be they established, emergent or potential, in a bid to increase the country's export earnings and expand the export base.

It is an irony that causes EBZ such disquiet that Zambia as country and individual business houses have not been able to meaningfully take full advantage of export opportunities in lucrative markets of the developed world despite the availability of non-reciprocal, and sometimes non-quota, access to these markets.

Relatively smaller countries (although admittedly size may not be an issue here) have made it big by taking advantage of export opportunities under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

However, individual business houses like Unity Garments and a few others have managed to do the country proud by exploiting somewhat rare export opportunities that have come our way as a country.

The study undertaken recently to Angola that reveals largely untapped export opportunities by Zambian firms.

Understandably access to this potential market may be difficult as there are no direct flights between Angola and Zambia and the country has a poor financial system and road network due to the ravages of war.

Be that as it may, Angola nonetheless presents Zambian business houses yet another export market opportunity for Zambia's Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs).

We take this opportunity, therefore, to invite both potential and established exporters in their export market and product development plans to consider the opportunity Angola offers.

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