Export clearance is done through a Customs Clearing Agent. Export documentation is submitted to customs online, or physically where manual document processing is taking place. Once the documents are submitted they are subjected to documentary checks and /or physical inspection. A request for goods examination is triggered by risk management considerations that form part of customs clearance. Exports can be cleared at the inland stations of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu ports, or at the border stations. The documentary requirements are similar at all customs clearing offices.

Customs Bonded Warehouse

An exporter may be required to use Customs bonded warehouses. Customs bonded warehouses provide secure facilities in which goods can be held temporarily as the export documents are being processed. The facility also allows for approved processes to be conducted such as blending of different products of different countries of origin. The banded facility can be owned by both a customs agent as well as an exporter.

 

Shipping and forwarding agents arrange land, sea, and air transportation of goods. They complete all procedural and documentation formalities involved in custom and port clearance on behalf of the shipper and arrange for warehousing of cargo before shipment of export cargo. Some shipping and forwarding agents also undertake consolidation of shipments which enables them to obtain preferential freight rates from the shipping line or airline.Shipping and forwarding agents also assist the exporter in selecting economical shipping routes; arranging packaging and marking of shipments; preparing shipping and regulatory documents; delivering goods to carriers; collecting transport documents; arranging insurance and processing claims; booking shipping space and providing advice on the relative costs of sending goods by sea or air.To find a freight forwarder, the exporter should consult the Malawi Revenue Authority, Malawi Investment and Trade Center, Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association of Malawi, or the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

 

Quality has been universally recognized as one of the key strategic elements of product competitiveness in both domestic and international markets along with price and distribution. High quality is the pre- requisite for successful market access and for achieving continued customer satisfaction. An exporter has to understand that quality is best determined by the customer. Your products have to meet and if possible surpass the expectations of your customers. There are different quality systems that are accepted internationally. Quality systems are used to ensure that products or services being produced meet customer expectations and international standards. Details can be obtained from the Malawi Bureau of Standards.

 

When a customer is satisfied with your product or service the following benefits follow:-

• The rate of reselling to that customer becomes higher.
• The costs for marketing and selling, which are necessary to keep-up the relation to that customer, will decrease with time.
• Old customers react less sensitive towards price increases than new customers
• He will advise others on your company and support you by word of mouth.

Export Financing

Export finance can be defined as all resources needed to meet the export requirements. This includes financial requirements to be available to export the product.

 

It is very important in that:

Malawi is linked with overseas and regional markets by rail, road and air transport. The following are Malawi’s main routes:

It is expensive but faster than all the other forms of transport. It is generally used to ferry perishables and high value commodities such as horticultural products.

Rail Transport

It is one of the cheapest modes of transport and is generally used for bulky goods. An exporter may decide to use rail transport during shipment of such products as timber.

Road Transport

It is the most expensive mode of transport after air transport and is extensively used in inland transport. However, there are advantages in sending goods by road as compared with sending them by other modes of transport.Goods sent by road can be moved from door to door without any transhipment and this is usual with small consignments. There is also flexibility in terms of timing as vehicles can be loaded and dispatched at any time and can travel even in remote parts of the country.

Sea Transport

It is heavily used in exports and imports of large shipments for all kinds of commodities, machinery, vehicles and chemicals especially from overseas.