The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) is currently leading a delegation of South African mining businesspeople on an Outward Selling Mission (OSM) to Chile and Peru that started on Tuesday, 24 September 2019 and will end on 4 October 2019. The purpose of the mission is to expose South African companies to export opportunities not only in Santiago and Lima, but in the broader South American region, which is highly integrated in terms of trade.
According to the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Fikile Majola, the mission will afford the business delegation with the opportunity to introduce their products directly to their target market and key industry players including importers, distributors and the mining industry as a whole. This will also provide access to network, market and build relationships with potential importers. Furthermore, the mission will lead to building a consistent presence and brand recognition of the South African mining products and services in South America,” said Majola.
“Chile’s open-market oriented and trade friendly environment has been particularly attractive to investors because of its upward economic growth pattern, established banking sector, relatively transparent regulatory environment and political stability,” says Majola.
The previous multi-sectoral OSM to Peru in 2018 also proved to be successful in creating awareness and promoting South African products and services in Peru, and resulted in 84 positive trade leads and on-the-spot export sales amounted to R880 270 with great interest and prospects for future sales reported by mission delegates.
“South African mining companies have made inroads into the Chilean and Peruvian markets, with select capital mining equipment products and mining services being marketed by companies with a strategic and long-term perspective of both markets which have been able to penetrate and unlock long-term and sustainable exports,” he adds.
The two-week programme for Chile and Peru will comprise of a trade and investment seminar, business-to-business meetings as well as site visits in the targeted sectors of capital mining equipment and mining services which show a realistic export opportunity for South African businesspeople.
South African exports to Chile amounted to R774 million in 2018, while Imports amounted to R2 billion. South African exports to Peru amounted to R413 million in 2018. while imports totaled R710,84 million.
The companies’ participation in the Outward Selling Mission is organised and funded by the dti through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme. The objective of the scheme is to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel : (012) 394 1650
Mobile : 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade and Industry
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