BARBADIAN manufacturers have made promising contacts for the export of local products in St. Lucia.
This is also thanks to the efforts of the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC), facilitators of a recent trade mission to that island.
Bobbi McKay, Executive Director of the Barbados Manufacturers’ Association (BMA), who spoke to Business Monday from St. Lucia during a one week Trade mission, highlighted the efforts of our manufacturers who participated in the mission which also took in Grenada.
She revealed, “Some of the persons have made promising contacts. Also, I have identified products that I don’t see down there at all and the association is going to discuss this with manufactures in Barbados and pursue these opportunities.”
The BMA official said that they held meetings with key persons in the sector in St. Lucia “so I need to link them with potential manufactures in Barbados.”
According to her, “Barbados is seeking to strengthen its position within its major export market, CARICOM. To this end, a 20-member contingent of Barbadian manufacturing companies went to St. Lucia and Grenada to participate in a trade mission which ended Friday, March 25. The mission was spearheaded by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation.
The BIDC during the mission, unveiled its newly rebranded export promotion strategy under the theme ‘Connecting with the World through Trade’, which saw the ‘roll out’ of rebranded exhibits, along with some of the best of Barbados’ food and beverage products.
Sonja Trotman, Director of Export Development and Promotion at the BIDC said, “the feedback from St Lucia has been positive, the response was good to the products. Some of the companies are new exporters; there being great opportunities in the islands for first-time exposure to exporting.”
She also said it was “easier for some producers to promote their products in a market similar to theirs at home in Barbados, especially since we are all under the CARICOM agreement.”
Trotman explained, “The main thrust is to assist with the development of both new and established exporters to realise increased exports. The response has been quite good from the business community, and the producers to date are satisfied with the arrangements that have been made for them under this trade mission. At this point it is too early to give information about Grenada, the final leg of the mission.”
In terms of export potential for Barbadian Manufactures she indicated, “We believe the prospects are good. However, we believe that one of the aspects that is necessary and important is for producers to make their presence felt in the region and that is one of the reasons why we are doing these missions.
Some companies on their own do not have the experience of making business connections in other countries. It takes research, planning, funding and marketing.
“The efforts of the BIDC to facilitate and fund these missions help companies to take the first step. It is encouraging for persons who want to export but are not sure of how to approach the market. We would have prepared them for the mission and also we have persons on the ground to further assist and accompany them to meetings,” said the BIDC official. Trotman added, “We are considering targeting St. Kitts and Antigua before December.
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