Parliamentary Committee on Trade has recommended that the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) should embark on mandatory testing and certification of products for export to protect the country’s image.

But MBS has said the law only provides for voluntary certification.

Speaking yesterday when MBS appeared before the committee, chairperson Simplex Chithyola-Banda said the voluntary scheme is not helping the country as traders export products that are not certified.

He said when local products are rejected in other countries, the country’s reputation is affected and it also has a bearing on exports.

Said Chithyola Banda: “It is a very bad thing to the country imagining that you have sent products, branded, produced and made in Malawi, and then country A rejects them. It dents the image of Malawi. So, you would see that the committee’s concern is very serious.

“We are now protecting Malawi as a country and all products that are meant for exports should be fully certified to avoid any  embarrassments. Malawi should not be known as a country that fails to meet standards in exports.”

He said the MPs will support the review of the law to ensure that there is mandatory certification.

On his part, MBS acting director general Rex Moyo said the law provides for voluntary certification, which means certified for export engage MBS.

“Mainly, it is the country that is importing that embarks on mandatory certification to ensure that the products meet the requirements of that particular country,” he said.

Moyo added that MBS does not have the capacity to meet some of the international standards;hence, in some cases traders send their goods to South Africa for certification.

However, he said once the new MBS office complex is ready, they will be able to procure more equipment to enable it certify a number of products to meet international standards.

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