20 Mar 2022

 Retailers and producers have been urged to keep abreast with new techniques of doing business.

Speaking during the retailers and producers summit dubbed #PhushaBw Small Media Micro Enterprise (SMME) mini expo at Adansonia Hotel on Thursday, Francistown City Mayor, Mr Godisang Radisigo said a dialogue between retailers and producers was a a way towards finding a permanent solution to consistency of local supplies.

“It is important to be confident in key decisions that would be made moving forward putting first the interest of both parties as well as consumers,” he added.

The expo which was hosted by Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) in partnership with Local Economic Authority (LEA), Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and Orange Botswana to bring both retailers and producers under one roof to devise strategies to embrace new ways of doing business in promoting local production.

BITC Executive Director-Business Intelligence, Ms Botho Bayendi said the mandate of investment attraction, export development and promotion as well as national branding was the government deliberate intention to achieving Vision 2036 to be export led.

She said this could not be achieved without continuous interactions and partnerships with clients and stakeholders.

To enable diversification leading to a consistent supplies of the right quantities and of the right quality she said it all stemmed from a well-coordinated business environment.

“Our ability to adapt to economic realities such as COVID-19 has left us with no choice but to confront and beat our own survival of businesses and the economy at large,” she added.
Over reliance on other countries, she said was a weakness that continued to be indicated by a high import bill of P91.1 billion.

“We have to exploit our market and benefit through the challenges and stretch our minds to create innovative and sustainable ways of having more supplies for exporting,” she added.

Founder and Director Anbo Farms Mr Andrew Seeletso commended BITC and leading retailers to show that contrary to popular believe, the interest was not only on bringing in foreign investors but looking internally to assist local domestic investors.

He said most producers have always had a challenge of disposing their produce due to lack of market while trucks of the same produce came through our boarders.

“The recent ban on importation of certain horticulture products by the government is an intent that reminded local producers to put in consistent effort resulting in local businesses thriving,” he said.

He further urged producers to prove themselves by meeting the demands of the market in the qualities and quantities that were required to make it easier for the government to enforce initiatives that are beneficial without disadvantaging consumers.ENDS