MANUFACTURING AND COVID-19 IN TANZANIA

MANUFACTURING AND COVID-19 IN TANZANIA

Manufacturing sites sprouted from various business enterprises. The business enterprise depends on the choice of a business owner; whether they would want to start a sole proprietorship business, a partnership, a special purpose vehicle, or a company. To run a legally recognized business all standard requirements must be meant for each business and this includes the registration of the business or its business name and obtaining the appropriate business license. After a business has been successfully registered, now based on the objectives of the business, registration of a manufacturing plant must be complied with. The registration of a manufacturing plant rests solely on the type of business or products the manufacturer plans to deal with. It may be the manufacturing of foods, drugs, averages, cleaning products, cosmetics, furniture among a few.

As the Corona Virus has been seen to affect most economic activities and relations, In many countries but it has not been so for Tanzania. The country did not go on lockdown of which has assisted the manufacturing industry to thrive by producing to the mass who were either social distancing or working and going about their daily activities.

1. PACKAGED FOOD MANUFACTURERS

Packaged food is the type of food that is sold in packages that may be in raw, partly cooked, or cooked form. Packaged food manufacturers form part of businesses that have thrived during the Corona Virus.

Most persons as a precautionary measure have been forced to buy large stocks of basic needs especially foods so as to keep in constant supply; most of the foods bought are the packaged foods for they have the highest ability to stay fresh for a longer time compared to fresh foods.

Again, due to the effects of the virus, many consumers are in fear of visiting stores and the stores have been constantly running out of stock. Ultimately, most of the packaged food manufacturers have shifted to home delivery of foods; the virus has forced most manufacturers to direct consumer e-commerce channels. This has caused the booming on the side of packaged food manufacturers in time of the virus and this may stay the same even after the containment of the virus.

1. HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS AND PERSONAL CARE COMPANIES

There has been an increase in the demand for household and personal care supplies. These mostly include cleaning supplies. The rate of utilization of these products has spiked since the announcement of the pandemic because concentration has been shifted to households contrary to before the virus where there were movements to schools and work. Now that most people had to self isolate at home the need for household cleaning supplies is more vibrant. The virus also has caused great booming of sanitizer manufacturers as most people use these products to cleanse germs such as the coronavirus itself. As a result, this has lead to the booming of household and personal care supplies manufacturers.

1. ALCOHOLIC AND NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS MANUFACTURERS

The survival of these industries rests solely on the consumer of their products. Basically, the consumers are at home, and, in fear of contracting the virus people have shifted to drinking alcohol from home. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is higher when the consumers drink at the places where these drinks are sold in retail. The consumption is lower if the consumers are forced to drink from home; the new trend is buying alcoholic drinks in a takeaway style. This has directly and indirectly affected the production of alcoholic drinks companies. The pressure on alcoholic drinks manufacturers and nonalcoholic drink manufacturers are not the same. Nonalcoholic drinks had been consumed outdoors and at home even before the outbreak of the pandemic; thus, the new trend has not greatly affected nonalcoholic drinks manufacturers as compared to alcoholic drinks manufacturers. Consequently, pressure rests more on alcoholic drinks manufacturers as opposed to nonalcoholic drinks manufacturers.

1. PHARMACEUTICALS MANUFACTURERS

These especially in Tanzania has seen a big rise. Most Tanzanian have been buying medicines for cough and headaches and the likes that are used to fight against COVID. Companies such as Zenufa Laboratories has been able to sell their syrup in large numbers during these trying times. PE products such as masks have made a number of factories rise up to cater for these. The government has also made ease the ability for one to not only import materials but to have PE productions green light given faster. It goes without saying that TMDA and TBS have played a great deal and are to be commended.

To a large extent the manufacturing industry in Tanzania has been doing great during covid times and new ones have sprung up. The ministry of industry and trade as well as SIDO have done a wonderful job in enabling the industry to thrive.