TANZANIA – Tanzania has embarked on a campaign to promote local wines dubbed as “Mkeka na Mvinyo” in it seeks to unlock the sectors potential, reports IPP MEDIA.

Speaking during the launch of the campaign in an event organised by Real PR Solutions (RPR), an integrated communications company, Caroline Kirwanda said that the campaign is also aimed at promoting economic growth in the country’s wine sector.

“We need to promote massive local consumption to stimulate economic growth”, she said.

Archard Kato, the company’s Managing Director Alko Vintages Co Limited-which produces a variety of premium quality- in his support said that to the initiative will go a long way in increasing the markets share of locally produced wine.

“I urge Tanzanians to develop a culture of consuming locally made wines as currently over 70% of wine consumed in the country are imported while grape growing in the country can support 80% and more of the Tanzanian market share,” Archard said.

Alko Vintages is a local producer and a major brand in the Tanzanian market through Dompo as its flagship brand- according to Kato has been a house-hold name for the last decade.

He said that increased consumption of Tanzanian wines will also translate into famers selling more grapes thus improving their household income as well as poverty reduction.

“Let’s support our fellow Tanzanian grape farmers and the nation in general by consuming local wines which are of top quality.

We are excited to be associated with this novel idea which complements the government’s agenda on industrialization by giving the local producers  an opportunity to sell their wine which is revered all over the East and Central African region  but consumed very little by Tanzanians,” he added.

Furthermore, Alko Vintages products have surpassed the local market and crossed borders for export as well and more wine brands in varying high-quality packages are in the pipeline.

“We are excited to be associated with this novel idea which  complements  the government’s agenda on industrialization by giving the local producers  an opportunity to sell their wine which is revered all over the East and Central African region  but consumed very little by Tanzanians”, said Archard Kato.

Ms Caroline added that the initiative will also boost the entire grape value chain as help grape farmers, especially in Dodoma, fetch higher prices for their produce who have been unable to sell in large numbers due to low local consumption of wine.