Export group reports 34% hike in shipments

The Association of Partners for Fairer Trade Inc., (APFTI) one of the leading advocates and promoter of fair trade in the country and Asia, revealed yesterday that export earnings of its member-companies hit the P48-million mark last year, representing a 34-percent growth compared to the previous year’s figure of P35.7 million.

APFTI, which observes its 5th anniversary today, eyes an even bigger growth rate this year by stepping up its promotion activities abroad.

Trade Undersecretary Nelly Favis-Villafuerte will be the special guest of honor and speaker at the anniversary celebration to be held beginning at 5 p.m. at the Linden Suites, Ortigas Center in Pasig City.

Paul Chandler, chief executive of Traidcraft Exchange, APFTI’s trade partner in the United Kingdom, together with representatives of other international partners will grace the affair. Some 50 members of the diplomatic community, particularly ambassadors and trade attachés of partner countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and the European Union will also be attending the anniversary celebration.

For the past five years, APFTI has played a key role in assisting in the development of small and medium scale enterprises in more than 20 provinces in the Bicol region, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao. APFTI has grown steadily and developed into a vital partner of the government in improving innovative and internationally competitive products among the country’s small and medium scale enterprises.

APFTI assists small producers improve the quality of their products by providing technical assistance and a variety of training activities. Assistance also includes linking small and medium scale enterprises with foreign partners and various promotional activities. APFTI also provides small enterprises, which cannot compete in the mainstream market, opportunities to effectively participate in domestic and foreign markets.