Source: Government pushes Zimbabwe Cotton to Clothing Strategy to revive textiles -Newsday Zimbabwe
GOVERNMENT is working on actualising its Zimbabwe Cotton to Clothing Strategy to help revive the textile industry after it lost over 80% of its workforce in recent years due to cheap imports, it has been revealed.
As inflationary and exchange rate pressures have persisted, the affordability of textile products has reduced, forcing consumers to opt for cheap imports in recent years.
Speaking during the Zimbabwe Clothing Manufacturers Association (ZCMA) Awards held under the theme Celebrating Excellence Weaving Tomorrow, the Industry and Commerce permanent secretary Thomas Wushe said the government was currently working on strategies to revive the textile industry.
He said at its peak, the textile industry had employed more than 30 000 people, which had shrunk to about 5 000 currently.
The awards, held last week, were given to the individuals and companies who had shown resilience and demonstrated their ability to deliver the best possible results in the industry amid the challenges faced.
“The ministry is now implementing the Local Content Policy, which encourages manufacturers to source raw materials locally in order to boost domestic output and lessen dependency on imports,” Wushe said.
“The Zimbabwean cotton-to-clothing value chain stands to gain a number of advantages from this Local Content Policy, including increased domestic manufacturing, employment creation, economic expansion, and supply chain development.
“The draft Zimbabwe Cotton to Clothing Strategy aims to re-align its goals with the reality that currently exists on the ground while addressing the obstacles that still impede the value chain’s development.”
Zimbabwean textile exporters have shown resilience and innovation by leveraging the country’s high-quality cotton and establishing strong international partnerships.
Hence, the coming in of African Continental Free Trade Area presents further opportunities for the sector, facilitating increased trade among African nations and reducing tariffs.
Wushe said an investment of US$22 million by David Whitehead, expansion of Edgars Stores nationally and increased capital investments from clothing manufacturers like Paramount Garment Works are examples of a reviving industry.
“This collective growth across the industry underscores the sector’s potential, contributing to employment creation and economic development and indicates that the textile sector is thriving in Zimbabwe,” he said.
ZCMA vice-chairperson Energy Deshe said the industry was recovering from a depression.
“We can see the industry coming up because I think one of the key things is that the ministry really recognises us as one of the key players insofar as the economic revival agenda is concerned,” he said.
“So, like I have highlighted, we are a low-hanging fruit in the sense that we are a labour-intensive industry such that once it thrives, it means that there is a lot of creation of employment, which will then have a multiplier effect insofar as the economy is concerned.
“One of the key things we have also been lobbying for, especially when it comes to the local procurement, is to see the government actually procuring from local companies and paying the local companies.”
The post Government pushes Zimbabwe Cotton to Clothing Strategy to revive textiles appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.