Malawi doing badly on Agoa: US urges local traders to pull up socks

US ambassador to Malawi Virginia Palmer has urged Malawi traders to pull up socks in orer to utilise the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), saying current indicators show the country is doing badly.

Agoa gives an opportunity to Malawian traders to export to the US after meeting some standards and conditions.

Palmer said the US is not happy with the quantity of exports from Malawi to the US despite existing favourable legislation of Agoa.

“Malawi should take advantage of this legislation to export more to the US,” said Palmer after visiting an all woman business group in Mzuzu called Kwithu Kitchen which exports tomato to the US and other European countries.

Through Agoa, some commodities are exported to the US duty free.

From the tomato exports proceeds, the group looks after 300 poor and vulnerable children in Mzuzu.

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