INDUSTRY and Trade Minister Dr Selemani Jafo has urged Tanzanian traders to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the United States through African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to produce products that meet international standards.

He highlighted that many Tanzanian products have struggled to penetrate international markets due to failure to meet the required criteria and standards.

Dr Jafo made the remarks yesterday in Dar es Salaam during presentation of quality awards to various companies and traders by Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).

It was collaboration between TBS, Tanzania Trade Development Authority (Tantrade), Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC), Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) and Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF).

He emphasized that the U.S. government had offered AGOA as part of its strategy to support development of African countries. However, some countries, including Tanzania, have not been able to take full advantage of the opportunity to sell products in the US market.

Dr Jafo encouraged manufacturers and to focus on producing quality products that can enter international markets such as AGOA, East and Central Africa and beyond.

"All developed countries first rely on their domestic market. We are 62 million people; if you produce products that Tanzanians appreciate, the domestic market alone can support your business," he said.

He praised the awards, noting their increasing importance, with the number of participants rising from 36 last year to 54 this year.

"In addition, we must understand that any product can compete in the market if it focuses on quality. I thank TBS for setting an example in quality," he said. 

"TBS has become a leading quality institution in Africa and is recognized as the number one authority on quality control. The awards play a significant role in increasing the value of companies' products and traders themselves."

Dr Jafo urged Tanzanians to support local producers by purchasing their products and moving away from the mindset that foreign products are always superior to locally made ones.

He also called on Tanzanians to strengthen their businesses through SIDO by taking advantage of the trainings offered by the organization and later receive the free quality logo from TBS.

"Many young people graduate from universities but the government cannot employ all of them. It is important to continue encouraging the private sector to hire youth or create opportunities for them to employ themselves after graduation," he said.

The Chairperson of the Awards Committee, Cresensia Mbunda, explained that every year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade through TBS and ZBS in partnership with the private sector organizes the quality awards.

She said the awards aim to encourage use of quality standards and foster competition across various sectors in the country while recognizing and appreciating the efforts of producers who excel annually.

She added that a team of seven judges from both the private sector and the government reviewed 52 applications for the awards, ensuring fairness and adherence to the established criteria.