Strengthen value chains, industry urged

MANUFACTURERS should ensure the products that they produce meet high quality standards to strengthen value chains in line with the quality policy, which dovetails with the objectives of Vision
2030.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Dr Mavis Sibanda said this during a value chains strengthening workshop held in Bulawayo last week.

Under Vision 2030, the Second Republic is targeting to grow the economy to an upper middleincome economy with a Gross Domestic Product per capita of US$3 500 from US$1 720 in 2018.

The Government has started implementing the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) which
runs from 2021-2025 with a focus on stimulating productivity across the economy.

“The Government has approved quality policy and we are now working on the implementation. We are going to work with the stakeholders so that people are aware of the importance of producing products that meet the required standards,” said Dr Sibanda.

She said producers of different products should strive to produce the best so that they meet the required standards.

“We have increased the number of service providers on the Conformity Based Assessments to ensure that products which are coming into Zimbabwe are inspected and are of good quality,” she said.

Dr Sibanda said the nation should not be subjected to substandard products as that may compromise people’s health.

She said strengthening value chains helps to eliminate waste thereby improving profitability.
“We are encouraging our industry to ensure that value chains are strengthened in order to boost
profits,” said Dr Sibanda.

She said NDS 1 has prioritised 10 value chains which are the dairy, sugar, bus and truck, fertilizer,
plastic waste, pharmaceutical, clothing, leather, soya and steel. — The Chronicle