Lack of certification hampers firms’ export prospects

MULTITUDES of local firms are failing to penetrate the export markets owing to their failure to certify their products and services to the requisite global quality standards, in the process delaying themselves and the country prospects of accruing the much needed foreign currency.

Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) directorcertification services Mr Sebastian Zuze said a paltry less than one percent of the registered companies in the country have attained certification standards.

He said failure by companies to certify their products and services with the country’s national standards body was impacting negatively on their competitiveness on the global market as well as hampering foreign currency generation in the country.

“We have roughly about 300 000 registered companies in Zimbabwe, only less than one percent are certified . . . if we are to get forex it means that our companies must go out of the country to get business so they need to adopt standards . . .

“The forex (shortage) issue, if we want to address it, which is what the Government is saying, our companies must go and operate and sell products and services in other countries but if they don’t get standards they are creating a barrier to trade,” said Mr Zuze.

The shortage of foreign currency in Zimbabwe is hampering efforts by the new Government to boost economic growth.

Mr Zuze called on companies especially Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to register for free awareness training with SAZ so as to be imparted with the requisite knowledge and importance of obtaining standards certification.

“We are not really happy by the numbers (of the companies that have certified to date), we can see a lot of interest is coming up . . . we could do much more because we have about 300 000 and only about one percent is certified,” he said.

Mr Zuze said SAZ would roll out a number of seminars throughout the country next year running under code name: “Start Well” aimed at sensitising SMEs on the importance of certifying their products and services.

SAZ is the National Standards Body for Zimbabwe. Formed in 1957 and incorporated in 1960, the Association is a non-governmental and a non-profit organisation.

SAZ’s mission is to facilitate the development and use of national standards in order to enhance Zimbabwe’s competitiveness and safeguard the welfare of communities.