By Kondanani Chilimunthaka
Trade and Industry Minister, Simplex Chithyola Banda has urged companies in the country to concentrate on improved quality products in promoting the Buy Malawi Strategy as one way of making sure that the Malawi products are competitive on both local and international markets.
Speaking on Tuesday, 4th April, 2023 during the official opening of National Association for Smallholder Farmers in Malawi (NASFAM) Quality and Food Safety Laboratory
at Kanengo in Lilongwe, Chithyola said it is pleasing that some companies and organizations are taking issues of quality seriously as far as Buy Malawi Strategy is concerned and ensure the country’s products remain competitive on market.
Said Chithyola; “The Ministry has the responsibility to safeguard the quality of products for the better health of the consumers. Food of lower quality has the potential of causing illnesses. Good quality products have high chances of being exported to international markets and make import cover.
We are promoting the Buy Malawi Strategy with an aim of encouraging Malawians to buy more locally value added products, and the easiest way this strategy can succeed is ensuring that our products are of high quality on both local and international markets.”
Chithyola further said the country is facing foreign exchange scarcity, however he was quick to commend NASFAM for constructing the state-of-the-art facility that Chithyola said will improve country’s trade balance, import substitution, and export.
On his part, Ireland Minister of State and International Development and Diaspora, Seàn Fleming said government of Ireland is pleased with the achievement NASFAM is making in ensuring that there is much productivity for Malawian farmers, adding that Ireland has developed through cooperatives and associations just the way NASFAM is doing.
Making her remarks, NASFAM Chief Executive Officer, Betty Chinyamunyamu, said her organization takes issues of quality and standards seriously for the health of its customers, adding that the construction of the laboratory is part of NASFAM’ commitment to produce food of high quality for human consumption.
