Faulty crop weighing harms health, income

Dar es Salaam. Weighing farm crops without proper measurements not only deprives farmers of the opportunity to increase their income but can also lead to long-term health complications for youth handling the products in markets and fields.

According to the Weights and Measures Agency (WMA), measuring farm produce with buckets or bundles is a legal offence that not only cheats consumers but may also affect the health of youth.

The WMA Act Cap. 340 mandates that all products be weighed on verified scales to protect traders, consumers, and the government by ensuring accurate income reporting.

“Many young people in market places or on farms are carrying loads with incorrect weights, which over time can lead to health issues such as kidney failure.

Our responsibility is to protect consumers, so we advise traders to use proper measurements. Failure to do so is against the law,” said the agency’s chief executive officer, Mr Alban Kihulla.

Mr Kihulla noted that the agency discourages the use of inaccurate measurement methods, which are common in the market.

One of the challenges faced by the agency is such a measurement of the products, adding they will be increasing awareness and encouraging the use of correct measurements to benefit the entire value chain.

He told journalists yesterday that the agency’s successes, challenges, and future plans in a meeting organized by the Office of Treasury emphasized that the agency frequently engages with business people to educate them and noted that while enforcement is important, effective measurement standards in the world require a balance of 70 percent wisdom and 30 percent law enforcement.

The agency also faces challenges related to meat weighing scales in butchery and complaints about building materials that do not meet actual measurements, saying it works diligently and regularly conducts inspections to address these issues.

In another development, Mr Kihulla stated that due to investments in technology and the expansion of offices to other regions, the number of verified measurements has increased significantly.

Over the past five years, from 2018/23, a total of 949,565 measurements were verified, representing a notable increase compared to previous years.

However, with the advancement of modern technology, the number of fuel ships inspected by the agency also rose to 64 in 2022/23, up from 29 recorded in 2020/21.

“Accurate measurements help the government obtain the true revenue from imported oil and ensure that businesses receive the correct measurements they ordered. Therefore, the increase in inspections is a significant achievement compared to our previous performance,” he said.

The dividend for the government increased to Sh4.3 billion in 2022/23, with plans to further increase this amount in the current financial year.

Looking ahead, the agency plans to explore new areas for measurement, continue providing education on measurement law requirements, improve operational systems, and focus on capacity building.

For his part, Chairman of the Tanzania Editors Forum, Deodatus Balile, urged the agency to intensify efforts in measuring construction materials, as inaccuracies in these measurements are currently causing problems for people.

Meanwhile, the minister of Industry and Trade, Dr Selemani Jafo, yesterday instructed the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and the WMA to ensure they fully oversee the flowmeter used to measure the volume of oil entering the country so that the government can collect accurate revenue.

He said this yesterday during a visit and inspection at the Kurasini Oil Jet (KOJ) Flow Meter station at the Dar es Salaam Port, which is managed by the WMA.

Dr Jafo emphasized that Dar es Salaam Port is the country’s main trade gateway, and the WMA is responsible for determining the amount of oil entering the country to ensure that the government receives accurate revenue from these oil imports.

He hailed the government for investing in the Dar es Salaam Port, which has brought significant benefits, particularly through the installation of modern flow meters.

The Acting Director of the Dar es Salaam Port, Mr Abeid Garus, thanked the government for its investments and the equipment that has enhanced efficiency.

He noted that previously, a ship would take seven days to unload cargo, but now it takes only three to four days.

“The waiting time for ships to dock at the port has decreased from 30 days to five to seven days, improving service delivery and operational efficiency,” he said.

The Senior Weights and Measures Officer at the port, Mr Tegemeo Cosmas, noted that the flow meters are now inspected annually and provide highly accurate measurements of the oil.