Business

Tailor made training for food processors launched

SMALL and Medium Enterprises Competitiveness Facility (SCF) launched a tailor made training on food processing to build capacity for SMEs Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).

Speaking at the official opening of the training here, SCF’s Business Manager Michael Bulemo said the training that focuses SMEs in Dairy and Sunflower oil processing industries will equip them with business management skills that can assist them to operate competitively in terms of producing quality products at reasonable cost with best marketing strategies.

He said the training will help them to improve their company’s internal management competencies, strengthen sourcing and distribution channels as well as introduce the basics of quality and food safety standards requirements by niche domestic and international markets. Sokoine University of Agriculture, department of agricultural economics and agribusiness is conducting the five-day training under the auspices of Sokoine University of Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural Consultancies and Advisory Services.

Meanwhile, Head of Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Damas Philips said gaps were identified by SCF in its mapping study that covered 100 registered food processing SMEs during regular business mentoring visits to SMEs. Dr Philips said amongst the gaps in internal skills and competences identified included identification of market opportunities, whereby most SMEs were found able to sell products but at small volumes and uncompetitive prices due to high production costs.

“Adoption of appropriate market positioning, whereby most SMEs attempt to serve all, thereby ending up losing focus and overstretching their resources,” leading to unsatisfied customers. “Many SMEs in Tanzania have informal plans to bring their products in the market place, they do not put their operational and marketing plans on paper and they don’t work consistently towards
achieving the planned goals,” said Dr Philips.