HARARE - Zimbabwe's trade volumes slowed down towards the end of 2011 due to customs clearance delays caused by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra)’s flawed Automated System for Customs Data (Asycuda), the African Development Bank (AfDB) has said.

While there had been a general upward trend in imports in 2010, November 2011 saw imports dropping to about $150 million compared to around $180 million in 2010, resulting in the month becoming the only one to register a drop in the level of imports last year.

Exports stood at about $200 million at the end of November 2011, 40 percent down from $350 million the same period in 2010. The exports totalled about $360 millioin in October 2011.

Adaption to the new system proved difficult, resulting in congestion at the country ís borders and inability of imported products to get into the country.

It is thus, not surprising that towards the end of the year, there was a significant drop in the levels of imports into the country,î said AfDB in its January 2012 Zimbabwe Monthly Economic Review.

The trend for exports also shows that exports improved in 2011 compared to 2010 except in November.

In November 2011 exports fell by about 40 percent from their 2010 level, a situation which can be attributed to the same challenges of adapting to the Asycuda system. However, in general, there was an improvement in export performance in 2011.

On a monthly basis, October and August registered significant growth rates in imports in 2011.

The same growth  patterns were also apparent on an annual basis.

The rapid increase in imports for August 2011 was caused by large scale importation of fertiliser from South Africa in preparation for the agriculture season.

Fertiliser importation increased by 90 percent in comparison to the July 2011 levels, which saw fertiliser constituting 60 percent of total imports for the whole month.

AfDB said the October 2011 surge in imports to about $1, 4 billion can be attributed to preparation for the festive season as traders start stocking.

This was also about 140 percent higher than its 2010 value of about $600 million.

Although there was a positive trend in exports, the performance was not adequate to reduce the trade imbalance due to set-backs on border clearance.

Compared to its 2010 level, last year’s trade balance worsened between August and October 2011, before picking up in November to a positive level.

Asycuda was introduced towards the end of 2011 by the Zimra to improve service delivery at the countryís various ports of entry, but it has instead proved to be a nuisance.

Stakeholders, including the Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe, say the customs clearance delays are costing industry huge money as business pays higher handling and storage fees at the boarders.