Licensing push opens markets for traders
MWANZA: FOREST and bee-product traders in Ukerewe have been urged to formalise their businesses through the required licences and permits, a move that could improve compliance while opening access to government procurement opportunities.
Acting Ukerewe District Administrative Secretary, Mr Jackson Mshubi said yesterday that traders need regular education on licensing, transportation requirements and other procedures governing the forest-products trade to operate legally and improve business performance.
“Forests are life, they increase the national income by stimulating economic growth. Forest product traders contribute to the economic growth of our Nation,” he said during a meeting with forest and bee-product traders at the Ukerewe council hall.
Mshubi said better understanding of regulatory requirements would help traders avoid violations while enabling them to conduct their businesses more efficiently and profitably.
District Forestry Officer James Aloyce said traders must obtain the necessary licences and permits to avoid violations, including tax evasion.
He said new traders are required to obtain a business licence from the council, a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) from the Tanzania Revenue Authority and registration with the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS).
The requirements are intended to bring more traders into the formal economy while strengthening oversight of forest-product businesses and government revenue collection.
Ukerewe District Trade Officer, Mango Chacha said formalisation could also give timber traders and carpenters access to a larger customer base through the government’s National eProcurement System of Tanzania (NeST).
ALSO READ: Govt plans forest products market
He encouraged traders to obtain licences so they can participate in government tenders to supply timber and furniture for development projects.
The procurement opportunity could provide small businesses with a new route to expand beyond individual customers and compete for institutional demand.
The push comes as authorities seek to balance the economic contribution of forest and bee products with compliance requirements governing their harvesting, transportation and trade.
For traders, the licensing process therefore represents not only a regulatory obligation but also a potential gateway to new markets and more formal business opportunities.
Bukongo Ward carpenter Antony Gwiji said the meeting had helped traders discuss operational challenges and identify ways to improve their businesses.
