The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve
@nyeve14
THE manufacturing sector has witnessed a positive recovery post Covid-19 with indications that the sector is responding to various Government initiatives that have promoted local industry, quality, standards and competitiveness.
In her post-Cabinet report last night, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said:
“Government continues the task of promoting local industry, quality, standards, and competitiveness, while endeavoring to protect consumers from unfair trade practices. In this regard, the manufacturing sector has shown a positive trajectory with capacity utilization currently at 66 percent, from 36 percent before COVID-19 and shelf occupancy at 80 percent, from 47 percent before COVID-19,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said a survey that was undertaken showed that most basic commodities are generally available both in formal and informal retail shops, although there are artificial shortages observed of some locally produced goods especially in formal retail shops.
“From the investigation, prices in formal retail sector are relatively high in both US and ZWL terms when compared to the informal retail sector and are thus indicative of speculative and forward pricing.
“Consumers are being forced to buy goods that they don’t need in formal retail outlets when they pay using USD so that they may off set the change balance. This is because the retail outlets are refusing to mix USD and transactions,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said in an endeavour to address these challenges, the nation is being assured that the Quality Assurance and Trade Measures Department in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is conducting an enforcement blitz on the quality and measurements of basic commodities and issuing appropriate fines.
“The Consumer Protection Commission is creating a hotline that will receive and respond to complaints from consumers to mitigate against unfair trading practices in the market. Government is increasing the enforcement against the collusion on pricing by the Competition and Tariff Commission so that they quickly address the unfair business practices which have become rampant in the economy.
“The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is preparing to conduct an evidence based research within seven days in collaboration with the National Competitiveness Commission, Competition and Tariff Commission and the Consumer Protection Commission and all other relevant stakeholders with the ultimate goal of ensuring that consumers continue to access basic commodities at affordable prices,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said the Ministry will expedite the amendment of the Competition and Tariff Act and the drafting of the Consumer Protection Regulations in order to come up with enforcement mechanisms to address the unfair business practices in the economy.
