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Manufacturers warn govt, public over fake products
Mr Gilbert Kibekityo, the head of projects at the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), talks to manufacturers from south-western Uganda during a training on Intra -African Trade in Mbarara City on Tuesday. PHOTO/RAJAB MUKOMBOZI
What you need to know:
- The manufacturers say the high prices of commodities could lead to an increase of counterfeit products on the market.
Manufacturers in south western Uganda have warned government and consumers to increase vigilance against counterfeit products that are likely to flood markets because of rising commodity prices.
The manufacturers, who were attending a training on the opportunities in the Intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Mbarara City on Tuesday, said genuine manufactures may be pushed out of the market by those dealing in counterfeit products by exploiting the current rise in commodity prices to bring in products that are dangerous to consumers.
“Counterfeiting is going to increase, where we have been making standard ratios. You will start making substandard ratios because you want to mitigate the high cost of production and in the end the consumer will not get the right product,” Mr Julius Mucunguzi Rutukura, the officer-in-charge of production at Kash General Hardware which manufacturers of concrete products, said.
He added: “Government should step up efforts against counterfeits but also consumers should be vigilant.”
The head of production at Birya Enterprises which deals in milling, Ms Esther Ankunda, said: “The challenge is that we invest a lot to have quality products on the market but we have been having a challenge of those dealing in counterfeits and now that the commodity prices have increased these are likely to increase. You will start hearing those mixing dust in maize flour.”
Mr Solomon Mwebaze of Three stars Winery said the rise in counterfeit goods in the market could expose people to health complications.
“When they talk of high commodity prices, people only look at the purchasing power but [producers could potentially adulterate products with poisonous chemicals]. So, consumers need to be sensitised and the government steps up efforts against counterfeits,” he said.
The head of projects at Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), Mr Gilbert Kibekityo, said they are aware of this challenge and will work to protect genuine manufacturers.
“We are aware that the people dealing in counterfeits are likely to increase by taking advantage of the increasing commodity prices. But we are working with government agencies like URA (Uganda Revenue Authority) and UNBS (Uganda National Bureau of Standards) to protect our manufacturers and consumers from fake products, especially during this period,” he said.
Mr Kibekityo said they were training manufacturers to get ready for trade in the whole of Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area. This will help expand the market for African products within African countries.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr David Bahati, the Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (Industry), were futile as he did not answer our repeated calls.
