Malawi companies persuaded to improve on packaging
Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) Chief Executive Officer, Clement Kumbemba has urged companies in the country to improve on packaging in order to attract more markets.
Kumbemba said this during a capacity- building workshop which Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) organized at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe for producers and exporters across the country.
“Our research has revealed that sometimes people lose markets because of poor packaging now we are saying that let’s improve on packaging so we need to overcome on the issues of packaging,” said Kumbemba.
“That is why MITC organized this workshop to equip producers and exporters with skills that will be required for their products to be certified as of good quality,” Kumbemba said.
Among other objectives, the workshop aimed at identifying the various challenges holding back the country’s producers and exporters in meeting demands of international markets with their products. The workshop also sought ways of addressing such challenges.
“Malawi loses billions [of Kwacha] because we have lost out in the way we grade and package our products before export.
“These factors negatively affect the products’ competiveness at international markets within the region and worldwide,” said Kumbemba.
In his speech, A representative of the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Dr Joseph Mkandawire, said his ministry will support MITC in its quest of impacting knowledge in packaging and quality standards.
He said Malawi can penetrate international market if its products are of the high quality and well graded and create employment.
“To penetrate the international market, there has to be good grading and packaging of our products before export.
“The message to Malawians is that they need to know what should be expected of the country’s products to meet international market standards,” said Mkandawire ho is Director of Finance and Administration in the ministry.
In his comment , Zanthu Agro Processing Company Marketing Manager , Chrispin Chingola blamed the wrappers manufacturers for their poor products .
Some of the areas the workshop covered included Packaging Development and Design, Packaging industry sectors and opportunities of the packaging sectors.
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