Posted on July, 1, 2019 at 10:58 am
A TOTAL of 1,259 weighing scales have been inspected by the Weights and Measures Agency (WMA) in preparation for the opening of the sesame buying season in Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma regions.
The exercise aims also at raising public awareness about the proper use of measurements, which is friendly to sesame farmers. Speaking recently, WMA Mtwara Regional Manager David Makungu said 575 scales had been inspected by the agency.
He also said up to 270 agricultural and marketing cooperative societies (AMCOS) had been reached. Besides verification, Mr Makungu said the scales had been stamped with a special stamp exclusively for use during the sesame buying season.
Mr Makungu further noted that the agency had identified some faults in 36 scales and repaired them on the spot. “Out of 119 AMCOS existing in Mtwara Region, Masasi is leading with about 51 AMCOS followed by Nanyumbu (41), Tandahimba (11), Nanyamba Council (6), Newala (5) and four in Mtwara District Council.
WMA Lindi Regional Manager Yunio Mbwambo noted that 521 scales had been verified for the same purpose in the region. He noted that out of 122 AMCOS found in Lindi Region, Ruangwa District had 27 of them, Nachingwea (38), Kilwa (24), Liwale (15), Lindi District Council (13) and Lindi Municipal Council (five).
The manager explained that they had discovered one scale being used although it had some defects of which owners admitted and were fined 500,000/- and the scale was repaired. He added that three other scales were discovered being used fraudulently in Liwale and owners were fined to 1.5m/-.
Source: IPP Media