Major corporations and regional retailers in Rwanda claim they are forced to import produce from abroad because off the low quality and insufficient supplies of local produce, such as fruit and vegetables.
This leads to loss of revenue each year through imports of such items. The country also misses out on jobs that would be created along the supply chain through local sourcing by the firms. Hopefully, the situation could soon change following hands-on training to equip sector players with the skills required to improve quality.
The project by COMESA Business Council and partners to build sustainable sourcing partnerships between local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and corporate firms will go a long way in addressing this challenge.
Experts also believe there should be a limit for big multinationals and other corporate firms on the amount of produce that can be sourced from outside the country to promote local produce.
Farmers and SME operators should also be trained on quality and produce handling to ensure quality. Poor standards and low production capacity are some of the main challenges that affect SME opportunities, including selling produce to retail chains operating in the country. This would support the government's self-reliance agenda.
However, as the standards watchdog has pointed out, standards are essential if local producers are to have an advantage over competitors.
