Invest in research, companies told
Mr Sakala said standards were a critical component of international competitiveness which he noted could improve local products on the market.
He said there was need for Zambia to invest in research and development for it to come up with innovative ideas on how to produce goods and services which could favourably compete on the international market.
“We have observed that most local manufacturers’ products are unable to compete with imported products, this is as a result of not investing in research and development which helps companies become innovative and introduce new products and services.
Mr Sakala said manufacturers must meet the specifications set down by regulatory agencies for their survival on the market.
He said local manufacturers were usually fighting for survival which he stated was making it more difficult for local manufactures to compete.
Mr Sakala said local manufacturers could follow suit as this would help their target businesses.
He said Zambia should not merely be an export country and that if manufacturers invested more in the areas of research and development, their products as well as cash flow, would improve.
According to the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), the manufacturing sector in Zambia accounts for about 11 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has been growing at an average annual growth rate of three percent in the last five years.