Parliament committee urges TanTrade to promote local brand

DODOMA: THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industries, Trade, Agriculture and Livestock has urged Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade) to intensify promotion of the “Made in Tanzania” brand to boost product recognition and expand markets for local manufacturers.

Committee Chairman, Deodatus Mwanyika, made the call in Dodoma recently after receiving a report on the implementation of activities by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and its institutions, covering the three financial years from 2023/24 to 2025/26.

“TanTrade must step up promotion of the Made in Tanzania brand and ensure it becomes a mark of quality, reliability and competitiveness that opens doors for our products in regional and international markets. Brand must represent more than a product’s origin,” Mr Mwanyika said.

He commended the ministry, through TanTrade, for connecting local producers with markets and strengthening traders’ capacity, but called for greater efforts to increase the brand’s adoption.

“The ‘Made in Tanzania’ mark is an important tool for building buyer confidence, adding value to locally produced goods and expanding opportunities in regional and international markets,” he said.

Mr Mwanyika insisted that promoting the brand must go hand in hand with improvements in product quality, packaging, compliance with standards and consistency of production to meet the demands of export markets.

The registration figures provide an indication of participation in the initiative, while expanding uptake and ensuring consistent product standards remain important to its broader commercial impact.

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TanTrade continues to connect producers and traders with domestic and international markets while encouraging businesses to adopt the national mark.

The committee’s directive puts the focus on turning brand recognition into stronger commercial opportunities for local manufacturers, particularly those seeking buyers beyond Tanzania.

For the initiative to deliver lasting results, wider adoption will need to be supported by reliable production, competitive packaging and compliance with the standards required by target markets.

TanTrade Director General, Ephraim Mafuru, said the authority would expand the number of local producers using the “Made in Tanzania” mark while strengthening confidence in the quality and competitiveness of their products.