Trade Minister Chithyola Urges Malawians to Buy Locally-Made Products
Trade Minister Simplex Chithyola urges Malawians to support locally made products to enhance economic growth and reduce reliance on imports.
BLANTYRE, MALAWI — Trade Minister Simplex Chithyola has urged Malawians to change their mindset and embrace locally made goods, writes Steven Godfrey Mkweteza.
Speaking during a stakeholders' discussion on the Buy Malawi Products strategy, Chithyola said that buying locally-made products is essential to stimulating economic growth and reducing the country's dependence on imports.
"We need to change our mindset and start preferring locally made products," Chithyola said.
"This is the only way to stimulate economic growth and create jobs."
Chithyola acknowledged the progress that has been made in promoting locally-made products, but he stressed that more needs to be done.
He urged consumers to be more discerning about the products they buy and to choose locally-made goods whenever possible.
"We need to make sure that our products are of the highest quality and meet international standards," Chithyola said.
"If we can do that, then we can compete with imported products and win over consumers."
Isabel Kachinjika, President of the Institute of Marketing in Malawi (IMM), agreed with Chithyola and said that the government needs to do more to support small businesses and create a more favourable business environment.
"We need to make sure that our businesses have the tools and resources they need to succeed," Kachinjika said.
"Only then will we be able to produce high-quality products that can compete in the global market"
The forum, organised by the IMM in partnership with the Ministry of Trade, aimed to gather insights from marketing experts on how to make the Buy Malawi Products strategy a success in its second phase.
The participants agreed that the strategy needs to be more focused on quality and standards.
They also called for the government to provide more support to small businesses and create a more favourable business environment.
The forum concluded with a call for all stakeholders to work together to make the Buy Malawi Products strategy a success.