adminKiyapili Sibanda, Business Reporter
LOCAL companies should produce more and saturate the domestic market with their products so as to curb imports, an official has said.
Speaking to Business Chronicle on the sidelines of Career Fair 2017 held at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) on Wednesday, National Foods group marketing executive, Miss Angela Mpala, said revitalising the local manufacturing sector would help the country curb imports and create more jobs.
Improved domestic output is crucial for exports and enhancing economic growth of a country, she added.
“Products that are produced locally create employment to the people and this boosts the economy. In producing these new products our major aim is innovation and consumers are responding very well,” said Miss Mpala.
“Consumers should have faith in locally produced goods as they are proven to be healthier compared to the imported goods, some of which have a negative impact of the health of locals.”
In June last year Government gazetted SI 64 of 2016, which removed several goods from the Open General Import Licence (OGIL) as part of measures to protect local firms from the influx of cheap imports.
The regulation restricts importation of a range of products that are available locally such as basic food stuffs, pharmaceutical products and hardware building materials.
National Foods took the opportunity to unveil its new Pearlenta Fast Cook, which can be use to prepare isitshwala/sadza in five minutes.
Nestle Zimbabwe’s public relations manager, Ms Doreen Chari, said her organisation has invested a lot in product innovations and renovations so as to improve service quality.
“It is a result of this programme that we have launched affordable Cerevita 30 grammes and 45 grammes and Cremora 40 grammes pack both retailing in small shops and tuck shops costing $0.25 cents per pack. By this we want to make sure that the market is flooded by local produced goods as this is healthy for the economy and it will help to get rid of imported products,” she said.
She told Business Chronicle that Nestle has launched the youth employment initiative aimed at strengthening and developing the employability of young people all over.
Meanwhile, Nust career guidance and student employment officer, Mr Charlie Ncube said the main aim of having companies coming to the event was to create a platform for industry and commerce to engage with students.
The exercise is also meant to expose students to industrial processes before attachment and encouraging them to have input in innovation.
— @Kiyaz_Cool
Online Reporter