Some owners of food processing companies accuse the Bureau of Standards and Quality Control (BBN) of hurting their business by refusing to certify their processed products so that they should be put on the market. BBN communication officer says that juice locally manufactured from ginger is not certified.
Bottles of non-certified juice seized by BBN
“BBN is a major barrier to my business. Since 2017, I have been looking for the certificate of analysis of juices made from ginger that would allow me to put them on the market but in vain, “says Euphrem Ndayikeje, legal representative of Burundi Bw’Ejo Development Center, a food processing company.
It was in a workshop of reflection on Birashoboka Campaign organized on March 25 by the Center for Development and Enterprises Great Lakes. This campaign aims at promoting free enterprise and individual freedom to achieve investment in Burundi.
Mr Ndayikeje is concerned that ginger juices are put on the market.” Yet, the bottles of these juices bear the BBN certification,” he says adding that BBN is being unfair.
Jean Claude Ndereyimana, Officer in charge of communication and information on standards at BBN, refutes the accusations of entrepreneurs. He explains that “the certification process requires a long time and technical means,” adding that juices made from ginger are not certified.
“Those who put on market juices made from ginger locally manufactured are cheating,” says Ndereyimama. He calls on Burundians not to consume these juices claiming that BBN is committed to promoting exports of locally-manufactured products. “Soon, BBN will develop a national standard that sets out the technical specifications for juice made from ginger,” he says.
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