The Ministry of Industry has challenged players in the garments and textile industry to form cooperatives to benefit from policy reforms government is implementing to promote local industries.
Minister of Industry Roy Kachale Banda said this in an interview in Lilongwe on Thursday on the sidelines of a meeting with players in the industry to assure them of his ministry’s support.
He said government has already demonstrated commitment in the 2020/21 National Budget to grow local garments and textiles industry by encouraging government ministries, departments and agencies to prioritise buying products such as uniforms made locally.
The minister said the ministry will train tailors to run successful cooperatives.
“I want to advise you to include in your cooperatives a department that will specifically be working in ensuring quality of your products and also ensure their prices are competitive,” he said.
Some tailors who attended the meeting expressed excitement with the steps taken by government, saying apart from making their businesses grow, this will also create more jobs for many unemployed Malawians.
In an interview, Naomi Kaulembe of Framewall Tailoring Shop and Edwin Chadza Musasa of Temie Safety Products said they will form cooperatives to benefit from economies of scale.
“Cooperatives are indeed good for us because we can bargain for good prices,” said Kaulembe.
The Ministry of Industry is expected to hold similar meetings in Blantyre, Zomba and Mzuzu.
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