ZMA ready to help manufacturing industry

By NATION REPORTER THE use of accurate measurements and proper product packaging is key to grow the local manufacturing industry, says Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) public relations officer Mutale Chileshe.

Mr Chileshe said a number of local manufacturers were failing to export their products due to inaccurate measurement and poor packaging.

In an interview, Mr Chileshe however said ZMA would be holding business forums to sensitize SMEs on the importance of using accurate measurements and proper packaging.

“We will create business forums where we will invite SMEs to let them know about our mandate and the need to properly package products and use accurate measurements,

“At the point of being step up, the business need to know what sort of instruments they can use and what they need to do to ensure they are compliant with trade measurements.

He said ZMA was also working with Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) through their network to ensure that their members were alerted about its mandatory trade measurements.

Mr Chileshe said the Agency had also intensified public awareness on its mandate.

He said ZMA would work closely with other institutions with similar mandate such as the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).

“We want to work with ZAM, and also through the business forums we want to reach to SMEs, we have seen a number of Zambians coming up with products such as peanut butter and jams but there is a problem with packaging, “First, there are not properly packaged and the measurements are unknown. We have also seen products that are not properly labeled. So we want them to be compliant so that they don’t lose out during our inspections,” said Mr Chileshe.