Mapeto asks Malawi govt to employ trade remedies in manufacturing sector
Mapeto (DWSM) Limited has pleaded with government to find trade solutions to the manufacturing sector which is heavily affected by unfair competition that destabilises growth.
General manager for Mapeto, Martin Mpata said when President Peter Mutharika inaugurated the K3.9 billion ($8.7 million) high-tech weaving looms at Makata Industrial Site in Blantyre with a pledge to deal with challenges facing the manufacturing industry.
“This is a liberalised era and we are aware of World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations that govern liberalised trade and promotion of fair trade. Regrettably, trade liberalisation is not practised fairly by most countries that champion the same.
“We humbly call upon your government to consider employing trade remedies, wherever appropriate, to level the playing field between foreign trade and domestic producers to ensure that domestic producers and employment are protected from the unfair trade, unfair competition or potentially damaging surges,” urged Mpata.<
Mapeto Group of Companies chairperson, Faizal Latif, said commissioning of the high-tech weaving looms was the beginning of their dreams and desire as they intend to overhaul the spinning plant to complement the looms.
He said: “We also want to invest in towelling and bandage production. Should the trading environment be pleasant, we will go for six more different industries.”
In his remarks Mutharika, who toured the new manufacturing facilities, commended Maeto for investing in the new machinery and in value addition which, he noted, would increase production capacity and improve products’ quality and standards.
Mutharika said Mapeto’s efforts were supportive of his government’s agenda on industry and trade which seek to promote manufacturing, value addition and diversification from the traditional foreign exchange earners such as tobacco, tea, coffee and sugar to other products such as cotton and cotton products.
“These efforts are also crucial for employment creation, foreign exchange generation, thereby uplifting the lives of the majority of Malawians in the country,” he said.
Malawi government is undertaking various programmes to deal with challenges facing the manufacturing sector such as inadequate energy and water supply for industrial use, influx of cheap smuggled products, high costs of borrowing and transportation, according to the President.
Mapeto you don’t need the government to employe trade remedies. The ball is in your court. This is the era of competition age, and you need to have right formulas in place. You need capital investment. Take away the old machines and install new machines that will produce more You need to work on quality , not quantity. Add value to the production line, produce something that will compete on the world market. Work with your suppliers. Not only from outside, but also the local suppliers, the farmers who plant cotton, support them to produce best quality of cotton, Invest… Read more »
He is a crooked mwenye
There’s corruption in most businesses and government in Malawi, like most of Africa and the rest of the developing world. At least this manufacturing business is creating a decent number of skilled and semi-skilled jobs, which is what this country desperately needs. The same can not be said for most ‘businesses’ that deal with government and tenders – they usually simply re-sell goods sourced locally or imported at inflated prices for low-quality. Many of the times they don’t even actually supply the goods at all – as we saw in ‘cashgate’. Rather have a corrupt manufacturing sector than horribly corrupt… Read more »
Suckers like this one, are making Malawi poorer than anything else. Externalising worth under the disguise of industrializing the country. Mxxxi. Akangowapaka msuzi pakamwa a president basi, tulo!
Why do we associate our selves with crooks, mawa munva aba 2 billion kwacha mulephera kummanga
This is another corrupt Asian and a tax evader but survives on his close links to the Head of State.He has been close to Bakili whom he convinced to buy Mapeto then was close to Bingu then JB apa wazigulira malo
Stupid!! Not impressed with performance of this mwenye campany!!!! Its only good at manufaxturing political party regalia!!! Zapathako basi!!! Stupid go to hell wirh ur bubu mutharika!!!!