Trade Fair: Does it deepen consumption of locally manufactured products?

The ongoing Uganda International Trade Fair held every year in October provides a platform for industrialists and manufacturers, majority of whom are Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), to showcase their products and innovations to hundreds of thousands of local show goers. The 27th trade fair has attracted 500 exhibitors out of which 29 are from outside Uganda.

This time, there is deliberate effort in accentuating the importance of consuming domestically made products.

This is interesting, considering that foreign exhibitors from about 29 countries across the globe are also exhibiting their products on the same arena to consolidate their presence in the local market.

This is not unusual given that for the last 26 years, the trade fair has given a platform to both local and international exhibitors to showcase their products.

Winners
According to the executive director of UMA, Mr Daniel Birungi, over the years, the exhibition has been a game changer for many SMEs particularly those involved in the manufacturing sector.

In a news conference last week, he said public’s participation has resulted into the growth of numerous brands and companies that started off as startups in the trade fair and are now enjoying international brand recognition.

He said: “We have seen Movit, a manufacturer of personal care products that started out in this trade fair and now we know what behemoth it has become. Mesha Steel has since grown as a result of exhibiting here. Then there is Mayondo Engineering Works, makers of furniture which started out here and now they are doing supplies worth Shs900 million. Not to mention Nice House of Plastics which started out here and is now a household name.”

He continued: “We have seen couple of brands growing, thanks to their participation in our trade fairs,” Mr Birungi said as UMA board chair Barbara Mulwana noded in approval.

To achieve import substitution - totally reducing on reliance on exports - Ms Mulwana believes that focus of the trade fair should be on the local SMEs.

According to Ms Mulwana, for any business that wishes to introduce a new product to a bigger audience, the annual trade fair is the ultimate opportunity because it makes the face to face interaction possible.

Ms Mulwana said the trade fair provides an avenue for learning and networking, something that businesses will benefit from.

She said: “Now we are able to produce a mattress here for you to buy it instead of importing and that is what import substitution is all about.”

The above cases are some of the very few instances underpinning successes that the trade fairs now being held for 27th time has generated.

It is not that difficult to realise success stories of the UMA organised trade fair across economic sectors including construction, chemical and paints, foods and beverages, packaging materials, plastics and health.

Others are confectionery, ICT, Personal Care Products, logistics and transportation, stationery, furniture, Leather goods manufacturers and fast moving consumer goods among others.

However, these successes have been reinforced by several other factors including government initiatives as exemplified in policies such as Buy Uganda, Build Uganda.

Theme
With the 27th edition of the trade fair themed: “Promoting Job creation through Industrialisation,” the UMA is responding to the real challenges they ought to pay attention to.

In a statement, UMA argues that the theme comes at a time when the country is in urgent need to address the unemployment rates in the country.

The theme is also intended to highlight the significance of manufacturing in creating employment opportunities to ensure a sustainable and inclusive growth path for Uganda to the realisation of the 2040 vision.

Objectives
This year’s fair is aimed at creating markets for exhibitors in Uganda, as well as other regions.
The Trade fair will enable the exhibitors to expose their products to potential buyers, business partners, contribute to business activities and promotion of investment in Uganda.

Trade Fairs are one way through which Uganda’s industrial capacity can be expanded, hence creating employment while expanding the government’s revenue base, facilitate Business to Business linkages (B2B) whereby the UGITF brings foreign manufacturers and suppliers of products from all over the world to showcase their products.

“We also learn from them and to provide a platform for benchmarking of the locally manufactured goods with those that are imported, in order to improve the quality of our local products,” Mr Joseline Kateeba, the of marketing sub-committee at UMA said last week.

This year’s trade fair has tred to find some answers to the agriculture sector which provides livelihoods for the largest population. A dedicated section on agriculture and agro-processing has been framed into the agenda of the trade show.

This is premised on the fact that manufacturing cannot be alienated from agriculture because Uganda is mainly agricultural with agro based industries.

New products
According to Mr Birungi, a wide range of new products including: locally made Electric motor bikes, Innovations supported by lab: maize threshers, medical diagnostic tools, Rechargeable batteries, Electrical meters will all be on the show.

This is in addition to display and demonstration of Ugandan made transformers, unique plastic chairs, high quality mattresses, new Irrigation systems, new yoghurt flavors, new soft drink flavors, new water treatment technology, trucks (Automobile), new and efficient chicken feed and technology, new flour machinery (maize mill, cassava mill, wheat mills.