Sisal baron snipes at imports competition

Speaking on behalf of sisal stakeholders, Katani Limited managing director Salum Shamte said industrialization means establishment of local industries that would produce goods for internal markets before export.

He appealed to President John Magufuli to instruct enactment of regulations that would require government institutions to use locally made goods in order to boost production and enhance the industrialization process.

Shamte was presenting a paper on the state of the sisal industry at a one-day business forum.

He said industrialization was the correct road to Tanzania’s bid to become a middle-income nation, while cautioning that industrialization should start with agro industries and an effort to protect local industries from unfair competition with imported goods.

Citing an example, he said that sisal-based industries were producing various products including carpets and furnishing materials that could be used in government offices instead of imported products of the same nature.

"The use of sisal products in government offices would not only enhance local industries, but also preserve the environment that is being polluted by imported plastic products," he emphasized.

He said despite having the most numerous sisal products in Africa at Ngomeni in Muheza District, utilization of sisal products in Tanzania is still low compared to imported plastics.

Shamte said that it was disappointing for a country that is moving towards industrialization to see utilization of locally manufactured products being low.

“Even in government offices, carpets being used are imports, something which boosts economies of the countries that have manufactured those products,” he elaborated.

Information, Culture, Sports and Arts minister Dr Harrison Mwakyembe said the government would take the plea but would need to satisfy itself that local manufacturers can meet current levels of demand.

He however urged Tanga residents and industries to utilize opportunities arising from the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. Tanga residents should be prepared with improvements in services provisions such as hotels, air travel and industrial raw materials, the minister intoned.