‘COVID -19 unlocked innovation in industries’

Industry and Commerce minister Sekai Nzenza says the outbreak of COVID-19 brought new opportunities and innovations to the manufacturing sector.

According to the state of industry and commerce report released on Wednesday, post COVID–19-induced lockdowns, Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector remained highly diversified consisting of 94 sub-sectors producing over 6 000 products.

The manufacturing sector took some of the worst blows when the pandemic struck in 2020, forcing firms to shut down as governments fought to limit contagion.

Apart from prolonged closures, demand dropped as incomes fell, impacting firms’ financial health.

“It is critical to note that over the past two years the growth of the manufacturing sector has been constrained by the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which affected the global value chains,” Nzenza said in the report.

“However, it should be noted that the pandemic brought opportunities and innovations in the manufacturing of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and COVID-19-related drugs. We witnessed tremendous growth in a local production of PPEs such as surgical masks, gowns, and sanitisers from as low as 10% prior to COVID-19 to over 45%,” she said.

According to Nzenza, a local content strategy being pursued by Zimbabwe will be accelerated in collaboration with Buy Zimbabwe to ensure better quality goods are produced.

Buy Zimbabwe is working with the ministry to publicise the concept, while the Competition and Tariff Commission will spearhead mergers and tariff reviews to ensure manufacturing growth.

Nzenza said a balancing act was required between promoting growth and development of vibrate industries and protecting consumers.

According to the minister, lifting the ban on imports of basic commodities showed government’s commitment to the dictates of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

She said government was preparing the ground for Zimbabwe’s industry to be ready for AfCFTA.-newsday