The Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) says the agency remains committed to ensuring it facilitates fair trade between the traders, and the consumers.

ZMA Board Chairperson Musamala Nyirongo says it is the institution’s mandate to ensure that the measurements of product is the same countrywide.

Speaking when the agency paid a courtesy call on Petauke District Commissioner Martha Mulenga, Mr Nyirongo recounted having undertaken a pilot project dubbed ‘the Meda project’, in Petauke with the aim of setting a standard of the measurements to be used by marketers.

The Meda introduced by the ZMA, is a transparent container for consumers to see the product and avoid discrepancy practices like deforming the container or adding wax at the bottom of the container.

“Some years back in this town we did a pilot project ‘the Meda project’ so these Medas that our marketeers use you know they come in all types of shapes.

So, to this, the mandate of ZMA to facilitate that trade, we want to ensure that the Meda in Southern, Western and Eastern is one Meda, it is the same volume.

So, if one is buying a Meda of beans in Kasempa and somebody is buying the same Meda in Petauke it should be the same quantity,” he said.

Meanwhile, ZMA Executive Director Humphrey Nkobeni said in its endeavour to provide quality trade it was also ensuring that right quantification and safety was adhered to by the traders.

Mr Nkobeni said one of the findings from the pilot project was that quantification and safety was compromised.

“Apart from the problem of quantification, we have a problem of safety because some marketeers will pick any container and it doesn’t matter what was in there; paint or other chemicals.

Also, these containers are made of different grades. The containers which are used for food grade are those we use like a bottle of water, other containers which are using chemicals that might not be food grade,” he said.

Petauke District Commissioner Martha Mulenga appreciated the agency’s pro-activeness but appealed to the agency to set up an office in the district.

Ms Mulenga said Petauke was an agricultural hub and needed someone on the ground who understood the different weights and measures, in order to constantly monitor compliance among the traders.

“You are aware that there are a lot of briefcase buyers that go round in various areas and they use the scales and if you don’t have someone who is critically checking on them, the farmer is exploited. 

This is why it is important that we have an officer who is going to help the peasant farmers,” she said.