Tanzania Bureau of Standards acting director general Leandri Kinabo( 2nd R), hands over a certificate of standards to Clemence Mbowe of Rogie Company at a ceremony held in Dar es Salaam at the weekend. Right is TBS directoof control and quality manangement, Kezia Mbwambo. (Photo: Staff Photographer)

Tanzanian manufacturers have requested the government to give them more support so as to enable them to penetrate in foreign markets.

Speaking on Friday in Dar es Salaam during the granting of TBS mark of licences to 30 manufacturing enterprises, Jackson Massawe from Dodoma said mcuh effort is needed to ensure that entrepreneurs access foreign markets.

The SME sector is still facing various challenges which need government intervention to enable them excel in foreign markets, he said.

He said the big challenge facing them was on how to improve the quality of their products so as to enable them to compete with the imported ones.

“We have some product certification bodies but many of us have failed to access their services due to the costs involved,” he said.

For his part, Christ Temu who processes honey, urged the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) to reduce the costs of food testing.

He said many manufactures hesitate to test their products or acquire licenses from the authority because of high charges.

However he challenged manufactures to value the TBS mark of quality as it will enable them to easily market their products world wide.

He said apart from accessing local, regional and international markets easily, the standard mark gives them confidence in what they produce, while at the same time assuring the consumers that the products bearing the mark are in conformity with the required standards.

Speaking earlier, TBS acting director general Leandri Kinabo warned manufacturers who use the standard marks of quality on their products without following the required procedures.

He said the new Standards Act mandates the bureau to take action against offenders, including but not limited to destruction of their products at the manufacturers’ expenses, order product withdraw from the market and even take any legal action against them.

On the other hand, he urged manufacturers whose products have been guaranteed by TBS through the standards mark licenses to abide by the rules.

A total of 44 SMEs were provided with TBS mark licenses, license extension, while others got tested product certificates.