Sameer Seeks Government Subsidies
Kenya based Sameer Africa Ltd has asked the Kenyan government to provide subsidies to local manufacturers so they can counter rising energy costs and remain competitive. The manufacturer of Yana brand tyres has made this call following government requests to the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) to transfer some of their production to off peak times in which there is lower demand for electricity.
Sameer Africa’s chairman, Naushad Meralli, believes high energy costs are a large contributor to local manufacturers’ diminishing competitiveness. “This increased costs will diminish our ability to compete effectively domestically and in the export markets, which are also attractive to our competitors with lower power costs,” he said.