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Sukulwenkosi Dube, Plumtree Correspondent
SMALL to medium business operators in Bulilima, Mangwe and Plumtree Town have launched a “buy local” campaign aimed at consolidating the market for their products and services in the border town and its surroundings.
Speaking at the launch in Plumtree, Matabeleland South Chamber of SMEs provincial secretary, Jephious Ncube said the campaign was meant to encourage the local market to support upcoming businesses.
“Our town doesn’t have big industries but we produce clothes, bread, carpentry and welding products, we are also into construction while others sell hardware and farm produce,” said Ncube.
He said they expected schools, local authorities and other stakeholders to consume local products and services as opposed to seeking services or products from outside their areas.
In a speech read on her behalf by Matabeleland South provincial development officer, Richmond Ncube, Small to Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni urged businesses to improve the quality of their products in order to make them competitive.
She said small entrepreneurs should strive to produce products that meet both local and global standards.
“The government’s desire is to see you grow from small entrepreneurs to large companies. Your participation in expos opens new opportunities for the growth of your businesses,” said Cde Nyoni.
The Minister said her ministry had embarked on massive exercise of developing a formalisation strategy in a bid to re-organise and integrate the informal sector into the mainstream economy.
She said a number of small businesses were finding it difficult to compete with big companies.
Cde Nyoni said the major challenge facing small businesses was failing to access loans to expand their businesses.
“My ministry is working tirelessly through provincial offices to promote SME growth through various programmes, which include provision of infrastructure, linkages, market access among others.
“Many MSMEs are facing marketing challenges due to competition from large companies, inadequate market knowledge, poor packaging among other challenges. As a ministry we’re making efforts to develop MSMEs in a bid to make them competitive,” she said.
Online Reporter