MALAWIANS URGED TO SUPPORT LOCAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza

One of the local beauty and cosmetic products manufactures in the country, Health beauty and care(HBC) has urged the populace to develop an interest of buying locally produced products so as to promote the local industry.

Managing director for the local company, Shabir Patel, urged Malawians when his company was launching a new H and B hand and body lotion in Blantyre.

Patel observed that despite the country launched a ‘ buy Malawi strategy some years ago, many Malawians are yet to embrace the concept.

“Obviously, there is need for much more effort to encourage Malawians to support local manufacturers for the betterment of the economic development of the country. When we support the local industry, then we are also narrowing the employment gap,” said Patel.

Patel observed that the country was losing huge resources by importing products that local industry could be able to produce.

“Love for the foreign products is killing the local manufacturing industry as well as making the country to lose foreign currency. It is discouraging to see that local products keep on expiring in shops because people do not buy them as they prefer foreign products even though some of them are of inferior materials for human consumption, ” said Patel.

On the other hand, Patel said the emergency of covid-19 has made many local manufacturing to close business due to unavailability of raw materials sourced from others countries due to lock downs and travel restrictions.

According to Patel, the H and B active for men branded lotion has been designed for men, kids as well as women.

“It is a changed and improved products which comes with coco butter, lanolin and alovera,” he said.

Apart from the lotion, the company also produces toothpaste called cello dent, fairness cream and baby powder.

Health and Beauty Care (HBC), is a local manufacturing company that started 12 years ago.

The company controls at least 45 % of market share of both body lotion and toothpaste, according to local market information.