Power outages hit manufacturer hard
Persistent power outages that have crippled most sectors of the economy are said to be affecting operations of a modern leather design studio at Chatha in Blantyre.
The $321,710 design studio has the potential of manufacturing more than 400 pairs of shoes in eight hours.
However, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (Smedi), an umbrella body for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), has said limited demand for the products and power outages remain a serious challenge to production at the factory.
Smedi Board Chairperson Henry Chete said their factory needs a complimentary energy source.
“We have serious issues with power due to what the country has been going through. There are power outages, but we are considering a solar farm that could help a lot in keeping production running so that we can produce more than 400 pairs of shoes per day,” Chete said.
Chete also announced plans that the facility targets the country’s security agencies as one of its potential markets.
“The shoes we manufacture here are durable and suitable for agencies such as the Malawi Defence Force and police; so, we hope that, soon, we will be able to supply them with the products which will also expand our market because, as of now, we are only selling to the general public,” Chete said.
Minister of Trade and Industry Simplex Chithyola Banda, who visited the facility recently, admitted that power outages are affecting production in the private sector.
But Chithyola Banda was quick to point out that the government is making serious investments to ensure that power is available for local industries.
“Another thing is that we need industries such as these to invest in alternative sources of power such as solar and wind. It is our hope that, with the space that is available here, we can plant a solar farm so that there is continued supply of power,” Chithyola Banda said.
Malawi has been implementing the Buy Malawi Strategy which aims at encouraging citizens to buy from local companies, but the high cost of production, coupled with power outages, has affected the campaign.
Eric Msikiti is a Senior Reporter/News Producer at Times Group. Though relatively young, Eric boasts years of experience in Malawi’s media industry.
