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Business Reporter
THE Government has come up with the National Quality Policy, which seeks to raise quality and standards of Zimbabwean products in line with international standards.

The policy is expected to be launched during the first quarter of this year.

“Among other innovative measures in place, such as use of modern equipment and machinery, Zimbabwe industries should soon become quite a formidable force in the global export markets; producing world-class goods and products,” Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza said.

Dr Nzenza said the Government had taken a three-pronged approach to enhance competitiveness of local products both in the domestic and international market through increased production and productivity, regulation of quality as well as standardisation and creation of a favourable business environment.

“The 2nd Republic has prioritised re-industrialisation and creation of new industry in its strategy,” said Dr Nzenza.

“This commitment is evident in the consistent forex allocations to industry for re-tooling, re-capitalisation and refurbishment.

“The same is strategically evident in the FDI function of Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe (IDCZ), an institution which is being used as a medium to support and finance key industries.

“During this strategic year, the Ministry is going to take advantage of the special drawing rights which were enunciated in the 2022 budget in order to support the ‘moving up value chain’ agenda in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).”

The strategy was also going to be balanced between ensuring capitalisation of industry through local and international investments, the fiscus and support the regulation environment, strategy and Government policy.

“All these efforts are going to converge in the consolidation of the successes which were experienced in the past including the increased exports, which by November 2021 were at 20,93 percent while imports decreased by 4,07 percent.

Dr Nzenza said the local industry had continued on the upward trajectory anchored on gains achieved in the past two years.

“The Ministry is encouraged with the unrelenting spirit of continued growth; as evidenced by the fact that in the first two weeks of January 2022, we have witnessed new companies being established and also continued mechanisation and commissioning of state-of-the-art equipment in existing manufacturing concerns,” said Dr Nzenza.

With most of these achievements being recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government was certain that the diversification and innovative methods being adopted by local industries would result in “the leap frogging of our economy in line with set objectives in Vision 2030 and also in line with the Ministry’s own strategic thrust to implement various industrialisation strategies and promoting and improving the manufacturing sector contribution to GDP.”