Zimpapers Logo

Government has put in place imports control measures to protect local producers.

Speaking at this year’s Buy Zimbabwe Awards last Friday, President Mnangagwa said Government was putting in place additional measures to assist companies to operate at their peak levels.

Zimbabwe’s industry is on a recovery and growth trajectory taking advantage of Government efforts to create a stable operating environment.

The country’s manufacturing sector’s capacity utilisation last year rose by 10 percent to 47 percent despite Covid-19 economic disruptions.

President Mnangagwa said the manufacturing sector has shown admirable capacity to grow as reflected in the manufacturing sector survey and the increased locally produced goods in most retail shops. He however said more needs to be done by the sector to speedily achieve the targets set out in the National Development Strategy1 (NDS1) for the realisation of Vision 2030.

President Mnangagwa said he had directed the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to regularly publish a list of imported products so that the manufacturing sector begins to incrementally knock off the products from the list.

He said science and technology students at institutions of higher learning should play a leading role in the import substitution by producing goods being imported.

The big challenge that the manufacturing sector is facing is stiff competition from cheap imports. Most of these cheap imports are being smuggled into the country through designated ports of entry as well as via unofficial points along the country’s borders.

The widespread smuggling of goods has seen an influx of these cheap goods which we do not need because local companies are producing the same goods. Government is also being prejudiced of millions of dollars as a result of this widespread smuggling. The proliferation of cheap smuggled imports is a big threat to the manufacturing industry hence the need to put in place additional measures to completely shut out the smuggling of goods.

What is encouraging is that the manufacturing sector is even producing for export which means with adequate support, the country can achieve self- sufficiency and increase exports.

Retail businesses on their part should assist in the fight against smuggling of goods by refusing to sell the smuggled goods even if they are cheaper than the locally produced goods.

The success of the manufacturing sector guarantees retailers constant supply of goods hence the need for the retailers to support the growth of the manufacturing sector.