TRA trains Kigoma SMEs on cross-border trade

This was revealed recently by Kasulu and Buhigwe Districts TRA Manager, Reginald Kiwelu, after completion of a training programme on business formalisation and source of capital to women engaged in trade organised by Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) with support from UN Women Tanzania.

TRA decided to start the programme after realizing that a majority of women entrepreneurs in both districts don’t benefit from the business opportunities available in Burundi and other East African countries because they don’t understand international trade documents required once they need to export or import products.

“Although Kasulu and Buhigwe districts are endowed with many produce that can be exported to Burundi, women entrepreneurs from those areas fail to benefit from trade opportunities available there because they don’t understand the kind of international trade documents needed in export or import business,” he said.

“Businessmen from Burundi come to Tanzania to purchase what you have because they know the procedures, it’s high time you understood these issues so that you can benefit like your counterparts,” he added.

He said that businessmen from Burundi go straight to farms and purchase produce at a low price and return to Burundi.

While in Burundi, they package the produce nicely and then sell the same to Tanzania at high prices, he added.

“As entrepreneurs try to learn from your counterparts and use the business opportunities available in that country,” he said.

He said many businessmen from Burundi pass through the Manyovu border and go directly to the farms to purchase produce.

Women were trained on how to pay duty for which products and which products are not subject to taxes.

He called on women entrepreneurs in Kasulu and Buhigwe Districts keen to export or import goods to visit TRA offices in areas where they are to get proper information on the kind of documents that are required in international trade before they begin to trade.

“The main focus was just to help them benefit from business opportunities available in the East African region, protect them from using unofficial routes to avoid harassment at the borders and increase government revenues.

Don’t export or import your products before you understand what kind of taxes or Value Added Tax (VAT) you are required to pay otherwise you will fail to meet your business objectives,” he said.

According to him, once educated on the importance of having required documents like TIN number, certificate of origin and others required in cross-border trade, they will be crossing the borders freely without hassles from law enforcers.