Mponela said his company was introduced to the CIIE by the Tanzania Trade Development Authority, a government agency that works toward enhancing Tanzania's economic performance through the development and promotion of goods and services for both local and foreign markets.

He said he looked forward to attracting more customers for beekeeping products at the CIIE because, apart from the Chinese market, the expo will also be attended by exhibitors from across the globe.

"Honey has a lot of uses for human beings. It is used by people with high blood pressure and obesity, and it can cure people burned by fire," he said, adding that bee wax is also used for industrial purposes.

Mponela said the Chinese market is more accessible than those in the United States and Europe, where the procedures are complicated and bureaucratic. He praised South-South cooperation, saying it has helped African countries, including Tanzania, acquire the technological know-how from China that boosts the production of various goods.

Mponela said Chinese-made machines are sold at affordable prices to people in developing countries, especially in Africa. "The machines we acquired from China have helped us boost the quantity and quality of our products," he said.

In mid-October, Tanzania's Zanzibar Minister for Trade and Industrial Development Omar Said Shaaban said the seventh CIIE will provide a platform for showcasing Tanzanian products and services to one of the largest consumer markets in the world.

"Through the seventh CIIE, we aim to raise global awareness of the 'Made in Tanzania' brand, which reflects our products' quality, sustainability, and uniqueness," said Shaaban.

Xinhua