Minister challenges producers on quality

By Emmanuel Simpokolwe:

Minister of Industry and Trade Simplex Chithyola Banda has challenged food processors in the country to produce quality products that will compete with foreign goods in supermarkets.

Chithyola Banda was speaking in Lilongwe on Tuesday during the official opening of the National Smallholders Farmers Association of Malawi (Nasfam) Quality and Food Safety Laboratory at Kanengo in Lilongwe.

The laboratory has been funded by the Irish government.

Chithyola Banda said the country’s limited foreign exchange should be used to import things that Malawi does not produce locally and not basic food stuffs.

He expressed displeasure over some entrepreneurs who produce lower quality goods for the local market and produce higher quality ones for the export market.

He further said quality products have a higher chance of getting to export markets as well as contributing to import substitution.

“Malawi is at a stage where we are in need of foreign exchange to improve our trade balance and import substitution and exports have a big role to play in that regard,” he said.

Irish Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Sean Fleming, who officially opened the lab, said Ireland supports the vision of the Malawi Government, in terms of growing the agriculture sector so that it becomes the driver of economic growth.

Fleming said the Malawi economy must grow if the country is to lift itself out of poverty.

“To anchor its economic growth, Malawi will need to chart a road map to transforming and commercialising its agricultural sector to increase foreign and domestic investments, jobs and exports,” he said.

Nasfam Chief Executive Officer Betty Chinyamunyanmu said the lab will open many doors of opportunity for the farmers’ products which ultimately will lead to achievements of their organisation‘s mission of improving the lives of small-holder farmers in the country.

Chinyamunyamu said Nasfam also exports some of its produce to both regional and international markets, which is testimony of their high quality and standard of their produce.

“This clearly demonstrates that smallholder farmers are able to bring transformation to their lives and the wider economy when provided with the right support,” she said.