News / Local
Chiwenga implores fair pricing model
04 Apr 2023 at 01:23hrs | Views
Zimbabwean manufacturers must produce quality products to ensure Zimbabwean consumers make local products their first choice, and must give those consumers value for money, with prices reflecting the quality, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said last week.
He made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Sekai Nzenza at the 12th annual Buy Zimbabwe awards in Harare on Friday night.
The platform seeks to promote the preference to consume local goods and services and the awards event brought together manufacturers, service providers, buyers, distributors, financial institutions, investors and regulatory agencies.
"To give value to our customers, I urge our manufacturers to adopt pricing models for local products that are in line with the quality of goods being produced," said VP Chiwenga. "Local consumers will always think, ‘Zimbabwe first', if they are aware of the high quality and durability of our products.
"I, therefore, challenge Buy Zimbabwe to continue working with the consumers to ensure that they have a greater appreciation of Zimbabwean products and to direct their purchasing preferences in favour of local products.
"The success of the Buy Zimbabwe campaign has indeed positioned the nation's pride of self-reliance at a time global supply chains remain constrained by the triple challenges of climate change, geo-political tensions and the Covid 19 pandemic.
"The robust implementation of the local content strategy focusing on promoting the national industrialisation strategy and rural industrialisation through value chain drive, has resulted in the country being able to produce high quality goods for its nationals," said VP Chiwenga.
Government was strengthening the alignment of public procurement services to encourage the sourcing and localisation of products.
He exhorted Buy Zimbabwe, to consolidate the gains within the food value chain and services to aggressively market the "proudly made and available"' in Zimbabwe.
"Let us increase local production in sectors such as the clothing and textile, high end cosmetics as well as the leather value chain. I would want to urge you to explore these and other sectors as we run with His Excellency the President's mantra, ‘Zimbabwe is open for business'.
Under President Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe had increased industrial capacity utilisation to about 66 percent and the percentage of goods in supermarket shelves to 80 percent.
"This is testimony to the transformative policies that Government has put in place and is in line with the mantra "Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo".
"As we look beyond our borders, the signing of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a significant milestone that will propel the industrialisation of Zimbabwe in particular and Africa in general.
"I urge local companies to explore the possibilities ushered in by a marketplace of over 1 billion people.
"Our companies should take advantage of this huge market to generate foreign currency and grow our economy," said VP Chiwenga.
He made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Sekai Nzenza at the 12th annual Buy Zimbabwe awards in Harare on Friday night.
The platform seeks to promote the preference to consume local goods and services and the awards event brought together manufacturers, service providers, buyers, distributors, financial institutions, investors and regulatory agencies.
"To give value to our customers, I urge our manufacturers to adopt pricing models for local products that are in line with the quality of goods being produced," said VP Chiwenga. "Local consumers will always think, ‘Zimbabwe first', if they are aware of the high quality and durability of our products.
"I, therefore, challenge Buy Zimbabwe to continue working with the consumers to ensure that they have a greater appreciation of Zimbabwean products and to direct their purchasing preferences in favour of local products.
"The success of the Buy Zimbabwe campaign has indeed positioned the nation's pride of self-reliance at a time global supply chains remain constrained by the triple challenges of climate change, geo-political tensions and the Covid 19 pandemic.
"The robust implementation of the local content strategy focusing on promoting the national industrialisation strategy and rural industrialisation through value chain drive, has resulted in the country being able to produce high quality goods for its nationals," said VP Chiwenga.
He exhorted Buy Zimbabwe, to consolidate the gains within the food value chain and services to aggressively market the "proudly made and available"' in Zimbabwe.
"Let us increase local production in sectors such as the clothing and textile, high end cosmetics as well as the leather value chain. I would want to urge you to explore these and other sectors as we run with His Excellency the President's mantra, ‘Zimbabwe is open for business'.
Under President Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe had increased industrial capacity utilisation to about 66 percent and the percentage of goods in supermarket shelves to 80 percent.
"This is testimony to the transformative policies that Government has put in place and is in line with the mantra "Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo".
"As we look beyond our borders, the signing of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a significant milestone that will propel the industrialisation of Zimbabwe in particular and Africa in general.
"I urge local companies to explore the possibilities ushered in by a marketplace of over 1 billion people.
"Our companies should take advantage of this huge market to generate foreign currency and grow our economy," said VP Chiwenga.
Source - The Herald
