WMA CHIEF URGES PUBLIC TO USE VERIFIED WEIGHING SCALES

By WMA – Dodoma

The Weights and Measures Agency (WMA) has urged traders and members of the public to immediately stop using informal measuring methods, including buckets, bundles, tins and other unapproved containers, when selling agricultural and livestock products, and instead use weighing scales that have been duly verified in accordance with the law.

The call was made by WMA Chief Executive Officer, Alban Kihula, on August 8, 2026, while speaking to journalists during the 33rd National Farmers’ Day Exhibition, commonly known as Nane Nane, held at the Dkt. John Samwel Malecela Grounds in Dodoma.

Kihula said the use of informal measurements can undermine fairness in trade and disadvantage consumers by preventing them from receiving the actual value of the products they buy or sell.

He said WMA has continued to educate the public, farmers, livestock keepers and traders on the requirements of the Weights and Measures Act, Cap. 340, including how to identify verified measuring instruments and ensure proper marking of packaged products.

“For a fair market and to enhance productivity towards the Vision 2050, there can be no fair market without the use of measuring instruments that have been verified in accordance with the law,” Kihula said.

On the agricultural sector, Kihula urged farmers to use accurate measurements throughout the production and marketing process, from land preparation and farm size determination to harvesting, storage and the sale of produce.

He said accurate measurements of farmland could help farmers plan production more effectively instead of relying on estimates.

He also urged farmers to ensure that their produce is weighed using verified scales when selling, enabling them to receive the true value of their products.

For livestock keepers, Kihula called for an end to selling animals based solely on visual estimates, urging them to use accurate weighing scales to determine the weight of cattle, goats, sheep and poultry.

He said the same approach should be applied when selling livestock products, including meat and milk, to ensure that both buyers and sellers receive fair value corresponding to the quantity of products traded.

Meanwhile, Kihula commended fishermen for continuing to set a good example in the use of proper measurements and urged them to maintain the practice.

He said the use of accurate measurements in fishing activities was essential to ensuring transparency and fairness in trade while reflecting the actual value of fishery products.

Kihula also urged consumers to take an active role in rejecting informal measurements when purchasing products such as potatoes, okra, onions and tomatoes, and instead insist that the products be weighed using verified scales.

“Consumers should not accept buying products in bundles, tins or through other informal measurements. They should insist on having the products weighed using verified scales to ensure they receive the correct quantity for the money they pay,” he said.

He further urged members of the public to report cases involving the use of illegal or unverified measuring instruments to WMA so that appropriate legal action can be taken.

Kihula said cooperation among consumers, traders and government institutions was essential in building a fair and transparent market that complies with legal requirements on the use of accurate measurements.

He stressed that the use of verified measuring instruments was not solely a responsibility of traders, but a matter that concerns every citizen in ensuring they receive the true value for the money they spend or the income they earn from the products they sell.