The Top 50 made in Tanzania Awards, according to organisers, Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), are pitting over 150 products locally manufactured.

 

To fairly pitting the products, the organiser has divided the firms into two layers--Premier, for large companies and Special Categories for micro, small and medium enterprises.

 

TPSF Executive Director Godfrey Simbeye said the Top 50 'Tanzanian Brands Awards' seeks to instill pride and appreciation of the products and goods produced in the country. "The campaign is to recognize the great contribution made by producers in the production of locally-made products and goods.

 

"To show people that the economy produces also goods of international standards and entice people to buy local stuffs," Mr Simbeye told journalists.

 

He added the goal of the competition is to change the overall perception by the consumers towards locallyproduced goods in terms of quality and to spur local demand for Tanzanian products.

 

Under the award rule, one firm is allowed to field more than one product they are producing, only if the raw material used accounts more than 30 per cent local input. The Campaign Manager, Mr Emmanuel Nnko, said the over 50 company field their products including MSMEs to bring fierce competition.

 

"The response was very competitive and we are pleased how producers have taken the competition," Mr Nnko, who also works for TPSF, said.

 

The competition unlike others has three stages application, physical consumers' survey in seven regions, and online consumers voting for best products. "But some of the products were voted while their firms didn't send application...we approached these firms and asked them to write applications," Mr Nnko said.

 

The survey conducted in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Tanga, Dodoma, Mtwara, Mbeya, and Mwanza reached over 2,000 participants.

 

The awards are divided into seven categories namely, construction, food, beverages, chemicals and trailer manufacturers. The products has to have a TBS standard mark. The 'Top 50 Tanzanian Brands Awards' historic event will be held next week in Dar es Salaam.

 

The campaign based on four priority areas, creating awareness on the production of quality products that suit the market's needs, emphasizing on the need for using locally-produced high quality products.

 

Others are encouraging businesses to increase the value of their products by producing and using locally-produced raw materials and to encourage competitiveness by exploring foreign markets.

 

The 'Proudly Tanzanian' campaign hinged on various activities on buy Tanzania Summit and Expo and Business Forums and Top 50 Brands Awards, Tanzania Premier Business Awards, proudly Tanzanian endorsement label and buy local road shows and shop activations.

 

The campaign partners Minister o Stop Arresting Gold Pannersf Industry, SIDO, TANTRADE, CTI, TCCIA and NEEC and two sponsors, Tanga Cement and CRDB Bank.

Source : allafrica.com