TBS Drives Market Access Through Product Certification

ZANZIBAR: THE Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has urged entrepreneurs to certify their products and services, arguing that compliance with quality standards is critical to accelerating industrial growth and expanding access to domestic and international markets. TBS Public Relations Officer, Ms Gloria Mgomberi made the call at the 12th International Trade Fair held at the Dimani grounds in Zanzibar recently. “TBS is a facilitative institution and therefore I call on entrepreneurs to come forward in large numbers to have the quality of their products verified free of charge, a step that would help address the challenges they face,” she said. According to Ms Mgomberi, entrepreneurs play a major role in boosting the economy and in recognition of this importance, the government has put in place a system to verify the quality of entrepreneurs’ products free of charge, with all costs covered by the government. “It is important for entrepreneurs to seize this opportunity as it will enable them to expand markets for their products and remove trade barriers,” she said. ALSO READ: Unpredictable weather drives up food prices She said the government has established this system to help entrepreneurs produce quality products and expand their market reach. “TBS, as a facilitative institution, provides free product quality certification services to small and medium entrepreneurs, with the aim of developing Tanzania’s industries,” she said. She said therefore it is important for them to certify the quality of their products so that they do not face any barriers in accessing markets both domestically and internationally. She added that once entrepreneurs certify their products, it will help them produce sustainable goods that will have markets everywhere, including regional markets. She explained that TBS’s goal is to enable businesspeople to conduct productive business for the nation without violating the country’s procedures and laws. Due to this importance, she said, the institution participated in the exhibition as a facilitative body in order to reach the public and product manufacturers especially entrepreneurs and provide them with education.