The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo Business Reporter
LOCALLY manufactured products continue to play second fiddle to cheap, sub-standard imports smuggled into the country because there are no proper ways to scrutinise them due to the delay in coming up with a National Quality Regulatory Authority. Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) director general, Mrs Eve Gadzikwa said a lot needed to be done in terms of policies to support industry to ensure it is protected from uncertified goods coming into the country.
“The long-awaited National Quality Regulatory Authority must be pushed through Parliament as a matter of urgency as it will ensure that imported products are subjected to scrutiny by regulators.
“At the moment poor quality imports are getting into the country scot-free making high quality locally produced products less competitive. There is a need for a level playing field between local and imported products,” Mrs Gadzikwa said.
In an effort to pursue consumers to embrace locally produced products, Government introduced the Buy Zimbabwe concept.
Buy Zimbabwe is a local campaign that was launched in 2011 and designed to promote consumption of local goods (especially the ones with the Buy Zimbabwe insignia) and services, for inclusive growth, empowerment and employment.
“Consumers must be proud of our locally certified brands and buy Zimbabwean products and shun sub-standard cheap imports which have a negative impact on public health, safety and environment.
“SAZ is contributing to employment by ensuring that companies can continue to increase productivity by supplying the local and international products with quality goods and services,” Mrs Gadzikwa said.
Industry and Commerce Minister Cde Mike Bimha said his ministry was working on implementing a number of policies to protect the local industry, adding that the National Quality Regulatory Authority framework had been completed and would soon be presented to Cabinet.
“It’s (National Quality Regulatory Authority) formation is at the legal process. I will be presenting its principles at the next Cabinet sitting and that will pave way to the process of having it as a Bill,” Minister Bimha said.
Mrs Gadzikwa said there was also a need for companies to get International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certified to compete on the international market.
Many companies perceived the cost of getting ISO 9001 certification as being highly relative to the benefits. This was because companies only looked at the direct costs. But the direct cost was probably the smallest portion of the total cost.
The total cost of ISO 9001 certification comes from three basic elements namely indirect cost of maintaining a quality focused organisation, indirect cost of doing additional operations only for the purpose of maintaining an ISO certification and direct cost of registration.
A study commissioned by ZimTrade which was released last week shows only 42 percent of products produced by the local manufacturing sector were certified.
SAZ is an accredited certifier and therefore provides internationally recognised certification to these international standards.
Products certified by SAZ are accepted worldwide and exporters rely on SAZ Certification to achieve and grow market access.
“Businesses operating in the 21st century face many challenges among them globalisation, profitability and competitiveness. Access to markets in a global market is now dictated by the ability to comply with international standards through Certification and industry’s best practices,” added Mrs Gadzikwa.
“Therefore, if any business enterprise is to remain competitive in a global market that is so sensitive on quality and safety of products, there is a need to demonstrate that it is capable of consistently delivering products that meet customers as well as regulatory requirements.”
