Over 70 local exporters turned up in Blantyre on 24 May 2011 when Business Consult Africa (BCA) and NBS Bank jointly unpacked a new product, Eazy Trade, which will help to bring foreign exchange into the country.

Speaking at the function, BCA managing director Henry Kachaje said Eazy Trade comprises training for export traders, trade facilitation and export.

The product was launched to promote export trade. NBS Bank treasury sales Manager Mercy Mathanga said the bank introduced this product to address the gap in financing small and medium enterprises.

"We looked at the market and our business. Out of our research, we found that there are people willing to export, to go into international trade, but there is a gap between the ideas and the products they have, the level of the standards that would be acceptable on the international market and the financing.

"As a bank, we came up with this product to help scaleup our businesses by coaching them through the partnership we have with BCA and finance them; thus, closing all the gaps. Entrepreneurs can then have viable business programmes that are acceptable on the international market," she said.

The export traders, however, bemoaned delays by banks in financing SMEs as well as lack of cooperation among traders which sometimes lead to lost businesses.