Malawians react to reports that Shoprite is pulling out of Malawi
Some section of society are welcoming reports that South African chain store, Shoprite might be pulling out of the country, saying it was a drain on the country’s forex.
Shoprite has not confirmed that it is closing shop in Malawi but it has already done so in other countries such as Nigeria, Uganda and Madagascar and scaled down its operations in Kenya in what the chain store says strategic business plan.
The Government of Zambia has prevented the company from leaving the country.
Some Malawians have taken up in various social media platforms to welcome the impending departure of the chain store, saying it was a drain on the country’s forex since it was importing locally found commodities such as vegetables and fruits from South Africa.
Writing on her face book wall, Thandie Wa Pulimuheya described the impending departure of Shoprite as good riddance.
“That shoprite might be closing in Malawi is music to my ears.
“We do not need “investors” involved in the petty trading of vegetable and eggs.
“Let them invest in mining if they have the dosh. There is nothing exotic about the Malawian shopping basket. It’s all geared up for nsima mpunga and chips,” she says.
She says until the country has Malawian supermarkets in SA, let shopping shelves be filled with Malawian produce.
One of the country’s renowned economist Prof Betchani Tchereni, has urged the Minister of Trade and Industry to put his foot on the ground by having factories that can be producing commodities in Malawi amid rumours that some South African chain store may close shop in Malawi.
According to Prof Tchereni, the news is just a manifestation of the unstainable business model it has been running.
“This has been largely expected given the forex situation as they are an unnecessary drainer of forex for commodities we can insist on producing for import substitution in Malawi,” Prof Tchereni wrote.
In his post, he has emphasized on the need to have factories as that is the model that will be sustained.
“I’m sure the producers of those commodities will notice the slamp in demand, let them bring their subsidiary factories in Malawi and produce right here including reporting their profitability in Malawi Kwacha, apo bi, it is our duty as Malawians to get down to earth and start manufacturing,” he added.
Prof Tchereni further said that as long as the country continue with the Malawi Kwacha and dependency on subsistence farmers for foreign exchange generation, there won’t be any import business that will be sustained in Malawi.
“Every trading business in Malawi can only survive by either crooked means of tapping from the meagre forex envelop or a miracle,” Tchereni highlighted.
He therefore said its time to roll our sleeves and get on to establish factories for import substitution, saying this is no longer a matter of a sales speech only its time to act.
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You want factories yet when you get millions mukumanga nyumba, kugula magalimoto. Kodi ma million ameneo simungayambiyse factory? You want amwenye akuyambitsireni ma factory?
Malawians don’t think
Some Malawians are indeed mad. They are happy that Shoprite is leaving forgetig that thousands of Malawians will be left jobless.
By the way, someone is saying Malawians must be feeling shelves with Malawian goods, which goods? Do we have producers who can sustain such shops with Malawian produce?
Malawians have failed to run Chipiku, Kandodo or PTC, what will be the replacement of Shoprite?
What fruits do we have ?
Hello guys do you think when Shoprite step out of Malawi it will be a good idea or not i dont think that it will be a good idea because Malawi is very far from what Southafrica farming systems has ngati akuvuta feteleza othila chimanga tingathile mitengo ya apozi kapena pear, ngakhale prime tiyeni tivomeleze lack of Foreign currency its not Shoprite’s fault shoprite imakhala ndi zinthu zina zomwe zimapezeka maiko aku ulaya okha zot patokha sitingakwanitse kuzipanga,
I love it
Why did you guys not chase them all this while? Now that they are pulling down is when you see that they were draining our forex?
Manufacturing needs electricity. If Agenco and ESCOM are run properly, and not just sifting cash from the government, the whole economy would develop.
They have to leave I suport the commotion and again chipiku they have to go as they too much import they commodities I dont support them. It could better if they could sell the locally available products not what they used to sell.
Prof Tchereni has a valid point on import substitution. We should by and by move away from importing things which can be sourced locally.
“Buy Malawian” song started during Dr Banda’s days..we start walking the talk.
Malawians we just know talking without work done. What pro. Tchereni said is true but, do we have that knowledge of digging the soil in compatible with our academic levels? Here in Malawi we think that those to deal with the soil are only the poorer ordinary local people not for those who went to schools of Agriculture. So in this habit how can we grow to be self dependance?
Just that it’s pity that we have only realized this now , I mean shop rite have been trading in our country for more than 2 decades now . I know people are entitled to their opinions but we must start by weighing those options first before we make unnecessary decisions. Aba Khala Kaye amenewo 😂