More Exporters Will Assist in Reviving the Economy |
| More entrepreneurs need to adopt the culture of exporting to assist in reviving the economy and creating more job opportunities. This was said by the Director of Export Promotion and Support at the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), Mr Stefanus Botes. He was delivering a speech at the Export Awareness Seminar that was hosted by the dti in partnership with the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality at the Eskia Mphahlele Library Hall in Pretoria.
The purpose of the seminar was to enhance the level of export awareness amongst entrepreneurs, with the aim of promoting the export culture by equipping small, medium micro enterprises (SMMEs) with the right knowledge, information and skills. The seminar was part of the department’s National Exporter Development Programme (NEDP). Its purpose is to develop exporters who will contribute in increasing value-added exports which contribute to employment creation. “As the dti we would like to encourage everyone who is part of the seminar to adopt the culture of exporting to deal with the high level of unemployment and to expand your businesses beyond South African borders. Currently, it is estimated that we have about 2 000 active exporters in the country, but if you do a thorough analysis you will realise that is not enough to help with the current challenges our economy is facing. We need to increase the current number of exporters as that will open up more opportunities,” said Botes. Botes also pointed out that during the Budget Vote in July the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ebrahim Patel emphasised the importance of export promotion as part of the department’s six-point plan. He mentioned that the dti would send a number of export missions to other countries, showcasing South African made products and helping local companies to land new orders. “This shows the commitment of the dti to improve industrial performance, dynamism and competitiveness of local companies. It is against this background that we urge you to focus more on export orientation, and also help in reclaiming domestic market space that has been lost to imports,” added Botes. The seminar was attended by more than 120 businesspeople who learnt about various pieces of operating in the international export market. These included export processes, quality standards, how to obtain export and import licences, product pricing and registration of barcode. The majority of business delegates were from clothing and textile, building and civil construction, information technology services, livestock farming, food and beverage sectors. Enquiries: |
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