ZAM rallies support for Zambian Campaign'
LOCAL manufacturers should join the proudly Zambian Campaign as it offers a wide range of benefits to member companies as well as market access.
The campaign provides various marketing opportunities to members companies, says Zambia Association of Manufactures (ZAM) Chief Executive Officer, Florence Muleya.
Ms Muleya said the campaign was a Government project initiated by the department of domestic trade and commerce in Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry that aims at encouraging production and consumption of local goods and services.
“Membership to the campaign is open to all sectors of the economy including public service providers,” she said in an interview.
Ms Muleya observed that Zambia produced a lot of high-quality goods and services, but regretted that most people were still inclined to buying imported products.
She attributed this mainly to the perception that local products were of inferior quality compared to the imported products.
She said in an attempt to change the consumer perception towards locally produced goods and services, Government through the Ministry of
Commerce, Trade and Industry established the campaign.
“Chief among all campaign benefits is being part of the efforts to tell our own story as Zambian producers of quality goods and services and promote local products together.
“Telling our own story is important as it enables us to explain to the local consumer that local products are just as good as or even better than imported products, compared to the distorted messages that undermine the credibility of local products,” Ms Muleya said.
She said the campaign also organised conferences and exhibitions for business linkages and brought different stakeholders ranging from directors of supermarkets, chain stores.
Ms Muleya said other stakeholders included mining companies, Government departments, banking and non-bank financial institutions as well as local producers.
She indicated that the conference and expos attracted the attention of senior Government officials including government Ministers.
This, she explained, provided an opportunity for the local producers to lobby for policies and measures that are supportive of the growth of the local industry.
“The conferences seek to discuss challenges surrounding the uptake of local products by various sectors and explore ways of integrating local products in various supply chains.
“The Expos seek to showcase high quality locally produced goods and services to both local and international consumers,” Ms Muleya said.
Chief among all campaign benefits is being part of the efforts to tell our own story as Zambian producers of quality goods and services and promote local products together.