Find Industry and Manufacturing expertise in Swaziland

Swaziland holds the 135^th most competitive economy in the world (2012–13, World Economic Forum, Global Competitiveness Report) with manufacturing contributing 41.1% of GDP in 2011. The country is classified 123^rd out of 185 countries by the World Bank for ease of doing business, a ranking based on how conducive the regulatory environment is to the opening and operation of a local firm. The same study places Swaziland 53^rd in the world for getting credit and 128^th best for protecting investors. Industrial production is estimated to be growing at a rate of 0.3% (2012 est. CIA World Factbook), with the majority of people employed in subsistence agriculture.

Swaziland’s main industries include coal, sugar, textiles and apparel, soft drinks, and wood pulp. Sugar production has been a major source of employment and income in Swaziland since the 1980s, becoming the country’s highest export earner in 2010, when the main wood pulp producer closed down. The main producers and processors of sugarcane include the Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation, while South African companies were becoming more involved in the industry in Swaziland in 2013.

While coal and quarry stone mines remain in operation, mining in general has been in decline since in recent years. Swaziland was thrown into a fiscal crisis following the global economic crisis of 2008, resulting in a drop in imports and customs revenue. Europe is a primary receiver of Swazi sugar.

The main exports include food produce and beverages – such as citrus fruits, soft drinks and sugar – as well as wood pulp and refrigerators, with exports totalling an estimated US $2.005 billion in 2012, down from $2.011 billion in 2011 (CIA World Factbook). Machinery, petroleum products, chemicals and certain foodstuffs are imported into Swaziland. In 2012 imports were estimated to have equalled $2.152 billion, up from $2.108 billion in 2011.

The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report gives Swaziland a production process sophistication value of 2.9 out of 7 where 7 is the most sophisticated, ranking it 120^th out of 144 countries.

The 2013 Global Competitiveness Report scores and ranks the sophistication of production processes around the world, where a low country score of 1 means “no sophistication and labour intensive” and a high score of 7 means production processes are the “world’s best and apply the most efficient  technologies”.  In this respect Swaziland ranks 120 out of 144 countries with a score of 2.9. At this level Swaziland ranks below many of its African counterparts.

The Swaziland Sugar Association (SSA) represents all growers and millers of the country’s major export, sugarcane, in the country.