By Pius Rugonzibwa

Mwanza — More than 300 local and foreign exhibitors will take part in this year’s Mwanza East African Trade Fair (MEATF 2016) set to begin on August 26. This will be an increase of nearly 100 exhibitors up from roughly 200 of them that took part in such trade fair last year indicating a remarkable growth of the regional event.

Announcing this year’s activity, the Mwanza Regional Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) Vice-Chairman, Mr Leopard Lema, said that the objectives of the trade fair have changed much, the main one being to provide an opportunity for companies to enhance their brands and corporate images.

He reported that other targets for this year seek to enable participants to get an opportunity to develop and cultivate customer relations, search for partners and act as market research instrument.

“But more importantly, this year’s event brings another opportunity for the businesses to tap the potential found in Mwanza Region and the entire Lake Zone regions as the best available market and investment area with its excellent strategic location in East Africa,” he explained.

While local companies are expected to increase in number this year, they are also expected to learn new business strategies as well enhancing export trade to capture available privileges and readily- arranged markets worldwide.

Mr Lema mentioned the theme for this year; “To increase intra East Africa Trade and Investment” as being part of the support for a regional agenda practical participation in the EAC integration efforts. He also mentioned a number of companies and business institutions from both private and public sectors, government departments and pension funds who will join exhibitors from as far as Kenya, Uganda, India and China with more than 450,000 visitors expected to attend.

The TCCIA boss said a different range of exhibits is expected to feature, including agricultural products, food and beverages, textiles, garments and yarn as well as manufactured products.

Others will include Information and Communication Technology (ICT), construction materials, electrical goods and appliances, farm implements, timber and furniture, engineering products and many others.

The Regional TCCIA Mwanza Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Karambi, told the ‘Daily News’ that the occasion was yet another time for the local businesses to interact with foreign companies for the possibility of joint ventures in different business opportunities.

According to him, Tanzania was still lagging behind in joint venture arrangements with foreign companies which hinder them chances to grow their business and win international markets.

“I think we still lack some technical knowhow when it comes to penetrating international boundaries for business ventures and the reasons behind that was a debatable matter. However, lack of professionalism was one of the major setbacks,” he said.

Source: All Africa

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